tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64963792011-07-31T05:24:48.287-05:00A running commentary on the good, the bad and the curious.Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.comBlogger4931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-60668742310566434782009-12-26T08:18:00.003-06:002009-12-26T09:04:01.336-06:00

Americans already have universal access to health care, say's Missouri State Senator Jane Cunningham (R-Chesterfield), even if they didn't realize it. Thus President Obama can keep his meddling health care legislation out of Missouri and away from the greatest health care system in the world. Cunningham broke this news to listeners of KMOX this past Wednesday on the Hancock and Kelly show.How can

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-73667037575764484862009-09-05T14:39:00.003-05:002009-09-05T14:44:32.237-05:00

The response from the DNC about wild-eyed Republican furor over Obama's education address is pretty funny (via Washington Monthly). “What this absurd episode shows is that the GOP can in fact come up with new ideas. For example, it’s now clear that the new Republican education platform will argue against personal responsibility, hard work and staying in school.”Cheeky it may be, but very

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-59870309755668932772009-09-05T13:28:00.004-05:002009-09-05T14:32:11.451-05:00

There is certainly one aspect of this tempest in a teapot that students could benefit from, they have cat-bird seats for the decline of modern political discourse.Now, American politics has always been a rough game. And the insults and accusations have even involved trading charges of adultery (see the war between Jefferson-Hamilton in those esteemed days of the founding fathers). But the

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-22158384655525182922009-09-05T13:06:00.006-05:002009-09-05T13:27:58.859-05:00

While I am sympathetic to the concerns of School Board members who don't wish to be drawn into a manufactured controversy, it is somewhat surprising that they aren't embracing an effort by the President of the United States to highlight education.That said the one concern they seem to share, according to today's Post-Dispatch report, falls under the headline of "does it fit the curriculum." In a

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-90384630550578495972009-06-21T20:36:00.002-05:002009-06-21T21:22:17.674-05:00

While the most recent North Korean missile launch was notable for less for its aeronautics than its ability to broadcast underwater (the missile fell into the sea shortly after launch-despite N. Korean claims to the contrary), Defense Secretary Gates is giving the Norks the benefit of the doubt that they may achieve something closer to success in their next (rumored) launch.The initial Japanese

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-35311215426159582742009-06-21T00:59:00.002-05:002009-06-21T01:12:02.621-05:00

The web has been a great source of stories, photos and video documenting the protests that have upturned modern Iranian society. The one issue is narrowing down the volume of information.Here are a few good sources to start:The Field: Al Giordano Reports America  - Giordano provides a mix of analysis with up-to-date reports. He has even gotten the early word on some important events, such as the

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-30996842220688141522009-06-20T18:57:00.000-05:002009-06-20T18:58:10.726-05:00

- Murphy

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-45153659568210610082009-06-20T13:48:00.004-05:002009-06-20T14:05:07.792-05:00

The many tools of the internet have begun to demonstrate they are actually worth a least a portion of the praise heaped upon them by those who promise kittens and flowers and peace, if only everyone had high speed internet access available.Even the lowly Twitter-which is actually an appropriate adjective to describe some of the most avowed acolytes of the tool-has shown itself to be a veritable

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-73877327105508830122009-06-20T13:00:00.002-05:002009-06-20T13:48:12.334-05:00

The Autobus Workers Union has joined with the Auto Workers Union in criticizing the ruling government's brutal crackdown of the students, shopworkers, businesspeople and parents who have taken to the streets in the wake of what many believe to have been a rigged election.In a stunning rebuke to the threats issued by Supreme Leader Ali Khomeini that the violence that meets the protesters will be

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-4735532605236200102009-04-09T19:18:00.002-05:002009-04-09T19:33:26.442-05:00

One of the great sources of funding for the entrepreneurial class in both the private and public sector has been through federally-funded grants. The grants spur research and development in areas as different as preventing friendly-fire incidents on the battlefield and helping address infant heart disease.In this time of tight credit and wary investors, federal grants can provide the seed money

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-26455327526202151062009-04-09T17:13:00.003-05:002009-04-09T19:10:35.116-05:00

That sound you heard was the collective yawn of the voting public in St. Louis City.Despite a match-up that could have provided a vigorous debate between a long-time incumbent facing simmering anger from a large portion of the city voters, and a bright and ambitious former State Senator who has both worked with the Mayor, and felt free to criticize him, the result was a lopsided wallop.It's not

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-51262827630740173252009-03-17T00:41:00.004-05:002009-04-09T19:10:49.694-05:00

While it was suspected at the time, President Obama's reason for offering to pull the proposed "missile shield" in Europe may be related to questions over its viability. The USA Today reports on some European doubts.While there have been successful tests of the interceptor missile, and portions of the system have seen progress, a complete system is still some time off. In other words, while it

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-5665772951125849842009-02-15T08:48:00.004-06:002009-02-15T11:58:08.375-06:00

Colleen Campbel used her column this week to criticize President Obama for what she saw as "amateurism". Yet instead of scalpel-sharp analysis, she instead offered spitballs.So what-in the wake of the passage of Obama's top legislative priority, the largest stimulus bill of its kind, ever-does she offer as evidence of this presumed amateurism? An overly verbose press conference and Obama's

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-84871575102434268602009-02-14T09:38:00.002-06:002009-02-14T09:55:09.157-06:00

Rep. Todd Akin has a news release on his website explaining his perspective of the bill.""Watching this wasteful, spending bill come closer to passage is like watching a financial Hurricane Katrina head toward our shores."Considering Akin supported making Bush's $2 trillion in tax cuts permanent, $800 billion should be a lesser squall.- Murphy

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-11176391983713181082009-02-14T09:01:00.004-06:002009-02-14T11:22:06.714-06:00

Republican commitment to attacking the stimulus bill, regardless of both reality and necessity, is impressive. In today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Missouri Representative Roy Blunt (R-Springfield) criticized the bill saying some of the spending wouldn't occur for a decade. Blunt, along with every other Republican in the House voted against the stimulus bill.Blunt should have checked with the

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-84495815220945359792009-02-14T07:49:00.003-06:002009-02-14T08:41:45.171-06:00

Representative John Boehner, chief Republican in the House, criticized the stimulus bill-which now awaits President Obama's signature-as "spending, spending and more spending." This sits neatly with other Republican criticisms of the bill that used visual aids to describe how large a stack of money this represents.It was, perhaps, unintended comedy. Given that this was by definition a spending

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-82223010234492555772009-01-30T21:30:00.003-06:002009-01-30T21:46:48.328-06:00

Opponents of fiscal stimulus in the form of government spending regularly point out that the U.S. wasn't pulled out of the Great Depression until the enormous ramp-up that was the U.S.'s involvement in World War II.Leaving aside the point that during the war the U.S. Government laid out enormous sums of money and funded a massive expansion in manufacturing, agriculture, transportation and

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-40752237082011679652009-01-22T16:18:00.002-06:002009-01-22T16:24:00.368-06:00

 Rush Limbaugh wasted no time in reigniting the rancor that has distinguished conservative commentary since the mid 1990’s. Rush said he doesn’t need a long statement to say what he means, merely four words. “I. Hope. He. Fails.” The American people, however, may quibble with Rush’ hunger for the failure of the newly minted Obama administration. Pollster’s aggregate poll shows that Obama

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-52183897057347823962009-01-21T14:00:00.002-06:002009-01-21T14:15:54.254-06:00

Jonah Golberg, editor of the National Review, was just on NPR's Talk of the Nation discussing the new role of conservative commentators during the Obama administration.Goldberg started out saying that being "out in the wilderness" is actually "fun" and is the natural home of the Goldwater Conserervatives; that opposition is in their DNA.After lauding the conservatives for their principled

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-17196397193198207102009-01-11T12:23:00.003-06:002009-01-11T12:59:34.504-06:00

In a piece in today's New York Times, David Sanger reports on some of the details behind the complicated balancing act between the United States and Israel, which teeters on attempts to disrupt the Iranian nuclear program.Some of the efforts have been circulating around for some time on different foreign policy blogs, but this piece-which comes ahead of a more detailed book by Sanger to be

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-83928665513360552722009-01-06T22:18:00.003-06:002009-01-06T23:09:59.703-06:00

While Roland Burris' granite mausoleum (complete with footnoted resume) may point to a playful intellect, one must admit that he could have taken a slightly different tack when approaching his appointment. Perhaps he could have backed off claims that Blagojevich's decision was touched by the hand of God, or that the Democrats were barring the door to racial progress by denying him a seat in the

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-29898419311799434912009-01-05T07:30:00.003-06:002009-01-06T23:45:49.134-06:00

Despite the numerous court rulings that have gone against incumbent Minnesota Republican Senator Norm Coleman, Republican Sen. John Cornyn (TX) pledged on CNN this morning that Republicans would block the seating of challenger Al Franken's because it "ignores Minnesota law."During the long effort to resolve the narrow election, matters such as the type and manner of ballot counting have appeared

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-42354753166994674312009-01-01T18:30:00.002-06:002009-01-01T18:39:11.275-06:00

Lara Rozen posted some thoughts from an analyst who notes that destabilizing Egypt may be the real target of the coalition of militants that include Hamas in Gaza.There are two domestic agendas here. The Israeli one is very familiar... But what people are not asking and is at least as important: what are the f**** rocket firers hoping to do? ... If you look at what people are saying, there is a

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-10181395987725592542008-12-29T15:47:00.002-06:002008-12-29T16:03:22.009-06:00

Given the recent collapse of the global financial market, I am not sure its wise to push the "learn how to invest overnight" business model. I suppose television pitch-men still have to make their living too.That said, those who decide to try and make "ten, twenty, even sixty thousand dollars month!" purchasing the simple "investment fortune in a box" programs two words spring to mind...caveat

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-50369068966547808772008-12-29T07:00:00.005-06:002009-01-02T09:18:51.492-06:00

Incoming Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has said he will not tap into Missouri's "Rainy Day Fund" in order to make up for expected budget shortfalls.Local legislators, State Sen. Jeff Smith and State Rep Jamilah Nasheed, have been pushing the Governor to tap into the half-billion dollar savings account the State has built up for use in emergencies. The state has not dipped into and not used since

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-82387151727078356262008-12-29T04:26:00.003-06:002008-12-29T06:37:52.894-06:00

From today's New York Times.“In the cabinet room today there was an energy, a feeling that after so long of showing restraint we had finally acted,” said Mark Regev, spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, speaking of the weekly government meeting that he attended.Mark Heller, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, said that that energy

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-52492142798566374142008-12-28T19:41:00.003-06:002008-12-28T20:21:32.050-06:00

Shortly after the election, local Republican activist and regular Post Dispatch op-ed contributor Z. Dwight Billingsly penned a short diatribe that had as much pop as a flat soda and the thoughtfulness of a child's bowl of spaghetti careening through mid-air on its way to an unpleasant meeting with the fridge.Somehow, that particular story has managed to top the list of the most emailed stories

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-36389981705718121682008-12-20T18:57:00.002-06:002008-12-20T19:01:52.034-06:00

A collection of stories and profiles of the ultimate Pozi.....The quiet man, from the Forward.Don't Fence Him In, from the NYT.More to come...- Murphy

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-20719657647622397332008-12-20T13:33:00.003-06:002008-12-20T18:35:00.362-06:00

VH1 did a rundown of the top female popular singers (south, r&b, hip hop, rock, etc.). A great collection of great vocalists. My only question is, what is the "whistle octave"? Mariah Carey is apparently blessed with the distinction of having one of the widest octave ranges, including the aforementioned "whistle octave".- Murphy

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-12140581283161502272008-12-18T14:59:00.002-06:002008-12-18T16:29:44.086-06:00

In relation to the dustup over President-elect Obama's choice of Pastor Rick Warren to give the inaugural invocation, a caller on NPR asked why it's only the left that is reaching out.Obama has made a point of talking about reaching out to those individuals who fall on the conservative end of the spectrum. His choice of Warren, his decision to keep on Secretary Gates and several of his other

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-82453240481895440442008-12-13T11:38:00.004-06:002008-12-13T12:13:16.522-06:00

Conservatives have little reason to worry about a progressive takeover. Inevitably the cozy, comfortable world of political power draws them all in.Roll Call reports that Senator Evan Bayh is attempting to form a "Blue Dog" coalition in the Senate. The Blue Dogs in the House have long been a counterweight to attempts to enact progressive reforms, including government oversight, business

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-10218978543039139242008-11-09T15:33:00.001-06:002008-11-09T16:10:12.363-06:00

Harvard Economist Gregory Mankiw-a former advisor to Gov. Mitt Romney's Presidential bid-continues to push the oh-so-popular Republican economic policies.In today's New York Times, the professor has some advice to President-elect Obama. Had he simply copied one of the memos he sent to Romney and-from the looks of the policy proposals-the McCain campaign, he could have saved some ink.His list is

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-66489901809744117682008-11-09T14:49:00.003-06:002008-11-09T15:33:41.594-06:00

Lots of questions in Alaska. Reported turnout falls short of 2000 and 2004 levels despite a record turnout for the Presidential Primary in the spring. That and none of the pre-election polling numbers held up; including Rassmussen which was accurate in calling every other Senate race it polled.Alaskan officials are left scratching their heads, reports the Washington Post.- Murphy

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-87679671199478509972008-11-06T00:48:00.003-06:002008-11-06T00:58:06.992-06:00

Paul Krugman succinctly describes the shift the voters' rejection of Sen. McCain and the Bush wing of the party implies.Last night wasn’t just a victory for tolerance; it wasn’t just a mandate for progressive change; it was also, I hope, the end of the monster years.An administration that embraced torture, spied on its own people and misused the levers of power to maintain its control deserves

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-6194746697482028962008-11-05T23:29:00.006-06:002008-11-06T00:58:54.402-06:00

That would of course be academia...Tenured Radicals Coming Home to Roost? [Andy McCarthy]Preliminary indications are that the youth vote (ages 18-29) was way up: an increase of somewhere over 2.2 million (maybe way over) from 2004 (a year in which it was very high), and as much as 13% over 2000. The Left's dominance of the academy is now having a material impact on electoral politics. As we

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-60613113384713564962008-11-05T22:35:00.003-06:002008-11-06T00:59:42.766-06:00

....is the campaign you deserve.The McCain campaign stumbled across the finish line last night and barely had time to grab a drink before it was waylaid by a bus. Even in the final hours of the campaign the two camps-the Palin and McCain camps that is-were continuing to take shots at each other through leaks to the press. The blood-letting there still continues, this time more on the record (

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-48290355516112749562008-11-01T09:46:00.002-05:002008-11-01T10:15:05.372-05:00

In the post-primary season Sen. John McCain held a fairly consistent lead across the various polls with some tightening as November progressed, from 5 to 2-3 points. However, October has shown a significant shift, with Obama trending ahead of McCain in the state. Obama's lead is approximate to the lead McCain had entering October.It's a result that makes this state a dead heat. While the Obama

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-28614045254056626472008-10-30T22:10:00.004-05:002008-11-01T10:16:16.289-05:00

That pail Colleen Campbell is carrying must be getting heavy. Campbell spent her time in today's Post-Dispatch Op-Ed section carrying water for the McCain campaign.Rather than construct some argument that Sen. Barack Obama's tax proposal-which proposes to cut taxes on those making less than $250,000 a year while slightly bumping up taxes on those who make more-was a plan that made no fiscal sense

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-10918735819509265282008-10-26T12:03:00.002-05:002008-10-26T12:39:01.260-05:00

Jason Kander, an attorney and veteran of the U.S. campaign in Afghanistan who is running for State Rep in Kansas City, has sent an email asking voters to let him know if they receive some of the nasty fliers being spread around his area.The fliers apparently target homes displaying Obama campaign signs. The flyer is a garden-variety theocratic-style rant promising damnation to those supporting

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-79786769484494524512008-10-25T14:35:00.003-05:002008-10-25T14:51:39.369-05:00

An astroturf effort sponsored by the campaign of State Senator Michael Gibbons touts tries to use Democrats own skepticism of State Senator Chris Koster's transition from Republican to Democrat; which occurred within a convenient period before his announcement that he was running for Attorney General, on the Democratic side.Despite genuine questions over Koster's Democratic bona-fides, the "

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-40651804313249296252008-10-24T13:02:00.002-05:002008-10-24T13:14:30.941-05:00

Well, technically, Ladue is number 10. The well-off burg of Ladue landed itself on the top ten list of donors to the McCain campaign. The magazine Human Events pulled out the most common zip codes of McCain donors. The Ladue zip code of 63124 came in 10th. However, that home to latte-sipping elites, New York City, came in 1st and 3rd.1.10021 - New York, N.Y. 2. 85253 - Paradise Valley, Ariz. 3.

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-24893286864903488222008-10-19T08:52:00.002-05:002008-10-19T10:00:18.079-05:00

Former Republican Secretary of State General Colin Powell announced his endorsement of Democratic Senator Barack Obama for President citing his agreement with Obama's foreign policy ideas and an aversion to the negative campaign of Republican Senator John McCain and his decision to choose Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.Powell told Tom Brokaw on NBC's Meet the Press this morning:....he had

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-30916907298676516812008-10-17T15:25:00.003-05:002008-10-17T16:04:31.924-05:00

Governor Matt Blunt is again touting this support for the "English Only" amendment passed by the legislature and that goes before the voters this November.Although the Governor's statement on the subject refer to English as Missouri's "common language" the amendment would make it mandatory that all official government proceedings be held in english only.I must admit to a mix of bafflement and

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-45792385707255250912008-10-15T13:07:00.002-05:002008-10-15T13:13:52.356-05:00

The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza reports on the huge advertising edge the Obama campaign's financial advantage has provided. The campaign has been able to bludgeon the McCain campagin with television ad after television ad.Over the previous week (Oct 7-13), the Obama campaign spent $2 million on media in Missouri compared to McCain's $824k, a $1.2 million advantage.The McCain campaign tried

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-36472691694210931322008-10-15T12:42:00.004-05:002008-10-15T13:00:52.702-05:00

There is a tendency to measure current economic health, but as the stock markets' recent lunatic pogo-stick ride demonstrates, there is little hope that any average observer-such as myself-will be able to discern except panic and over-reaction.With any luck, the credit markets will free up as the government begins buying stake in a number of major banks. That is the crux of the recent problems,

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-34272631364143638612008-09-30T01:51:00.002-05:002008-09-30T01:59:38.700-05:00

It seems the politicizing of the Justice Department has some ramifications in Missouri.(Via K.C. Star)- Murphy

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-6301703313244214222008-09-30T00:13:00.004-05:002008-09-30T00:36:56.225-05:00

Floyd Norris of The New York Times tonight on Charlie Rose just noted that in today's stock collapse $1.2 trillion of value disappeared.  One of the largest dollar-figure drops in history.That collapse occurred due to the market's reaction to the failure of the rescue package.The number bandied about since Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's proposed package has been circling $700 billion.The

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-46036356234438362692008-09-29T23:34:00.002-05:002008-09-30T00:07:37.686-05:00

Missouri's own Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Springfield) blamed Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) speech today for turning key Republican votes against the financial rescue package. Even the 12 members he thought he had whipped in line bailed on the bill.It's worth noting that Blunt is the Republican whip in the house, charged with bringing members in-line when the leadership (of which he is a part) decides to

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-22691831578897769012008-09-27T17:44:00.003-05:002008-09-27T17:47:42.726-05:00

Despite the general consensus that the debate was "soporific" draw, it is hard to look back at it and not see it as a win for Sen. Barack Obama.While it did not provide the fireworks many were hoping for, on both the substantive and stylistic fronts, the meeting explained much.Much of the McCain campaign has been about defining Obama as unserious, unprepared and inexperienced. In fact, after

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-6464706030372540522008-09-27T16:16:00.003-05:002008-09-27T16:46:21.604-05:00

What is the deal with The Riverfront Times' Best Of issue? Every page or so there is an inexplicable photo women dressed in martial arts gear posed for big trouble in River City.The only apparent theme of the photos is that they are all staged at prominent St. Louis locations. There is no relation to either A. St. Louis or B. the categories-the title pages of which are also bedazzled by a

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-91240440053467356942008-09-23T22:54:00.006-05:002008-09-23T23:08:26.064-05:00

In times we find ourselves overtopped with weirdness, we can always export our surplus...Rebellious rocker, avid 2nd amendment supporter and fervent anti-jihadist, Ted Nugent has volunteered to be Paul McCartney's bodyguard at an upcoming concert in Israel.British paper The Guardian reports that the former Beatle has yet to respond to the well-armed rocker's offer, which comes in the wake of

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-55741148963995427782008-09-22T19:06:00.002-05:002008-09-22T19:23:29.155-05:00

In the deep red heart of St. Charles lies St. Peters. Home to lots of quick stops and extra-lane intersections, the town is also a major source of blue-collar Republicans; folks who voted for Reagan and never looked back. Attorney General Jay Nixon, Democratic candidate for the gubernatorial mansion, has been basing a great deal of his campaign on winning back those voters who have gone heavily

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-15799724937464395062008-09-22T18:01:00.005-05:002008-09-22T18:56:54.315-05:00

Does he keep it in a safe by his bed? Locked in a vial in a safety deposit box? Where does Martin keep the time machine that allows him to slip from role to role in a shorter period than most post-grad interns could manage.Martin's latest hat is that of a cable-access political commentator on Charter's CCIN. Called Midwest Talking Points, the show will take a look at Missouri political news. (Via

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-67840073751912539552008-09-16T23:47:00.003-05:002008-09-18T00:36:14.258-05:00

CNN is reporting that Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO and top McCain campaign official, is likely to drop from view for the next few weeks. The likely cause of her disappearance follows her comments to journalists on two occasions that Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin could not run a major corporation; something Fiorina did for a number of, sometimes tumultuous, years. On her

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-44520517169483724962008-09-13T23:31:00.002-05:002008-09-14T00:18:59.012-05:00

One of the most talked about game has been the recently release Spore. A game where players create characters and set them lose in worlds where they are allowed to evolve. Perhaps a gamers' blend of intelligent design and evolution.Not being a gamer myself, I doubt that I will play the game myself, but the interest the game's "evolution" component has me intrigued.The next-generation software

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-56190824868624502222008-09-09T13:25:00.004-05:002008-09-09T13:35:40.522-05:00

The Obama campaign has released a new ad that takes on the "Maverick" label the McCain-Palin campaign has embraced. The ad is expected to run in battleground states starting today.Funny enough, it hits on exactly a point I wanted to write about.That the McCain-Palin campaign has shown great chutzpa in running wild with the "reformer" label. Neither Sen. John McCain-especially in the last eight

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-5179082751279418112008-09-09T13:06:00.004-05:002008-09-09T13:35:04.664-05:00

While it appears there is a wave of new polling coming out of some battleground states (Ohio and Virginia, for example), there is little news from Missouri.All we can currently go on were polls that showed a steady lead for McCain(48% to 44%) right into the beginning of August. If the convention bounce that is showing up in national polls trickles down to us (as it is likely to do) then it is

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-62445620082330492132008-09-08T00:06:00.002-05:002008-09-08T01:01:06.193-05:00

Recent events in the caucuses has meant that Georgia may mean more than Bulldog football for many Americans.The effort by the Eurasian nation of Georgia to repatriate the breakaway region of South Ossetia by force and its consequent rebuffing by Russian forces (claiming to stand in defense of Ossetian independence), has reignited concerns about Russian efforts to reassert itself in the world, and

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-16727147203742778722008-09-06T01:00:00.004-05:002008-09-06T01:12:37.476-05:00

David Frum, a conservative author and former speechwriter for President Bush, talks about why it's important for Palin to be out in front of the debate over her qualifications to be VP as well as why it's essential to be able to make your case forcefully, and not just preach to the choir.A question I am often asked when I give talks or lectures is: Why did the Bush communication effort end so

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-79058346091843918792008-09-06T00:47:00.005-05:002008-09-06T01:11:08.667-05:00

The McCain campaign has let it be known that his VP pick, Gov. Sarah Palin, will be incommunicado for the time being.Perhaps this is a chance for the campaign to find out more about Palin straight from her instead of the media.A well-caffeinated college intern with Google and a long-distance phone card could have uncovered more about Palin than the McCain campaign appears to have found before

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-13902255684545743712008-09-05T23:50:00.004-05:002008-09-06T00:46:33.495-05:00

(via Washington Monthly) The New York Times is reporting that Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae  have been put on notice that the government intends to take control of the two mortgage giants soon. The head of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, and Treasury Secretary Paulson, Jr., have apparently decided they had given the companies enough time to clean up their books and restore investor

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-20666836675932150402008-09-05T16:35:00.004-05:002008-09-06T01:11:40.253-05:00

Google, the ubiquitous internet search engine, has teamed up with several industry groups and non-profit media organizations–including the Wireless Innovation Alliance and Free Press–to press Congress to free up more of the wireless spectrum for wireless internet projects.The spectrum in question, referred to as "white space" as it goes unused, resides alongside the spectrum used to broadcast

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-84336341608487553542008-09-04T23:00:00.004-05:002008-09-05T01:40:53.243-05:00

Sen. John McCain accepted his role as the Republican nominee with a speech that ranked among the better public appearances McCain has made this campaign. McCain has never been a polished speaker, and tonight was no exception. Yet it was a well prepared speech and, as such, counts as a plus in the speech column. McCain's was a speech long on biography, short on policy and heavily sprinkled with

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-79444860121314439932008-09-03T01:39:00.003-05:002008-09-03T01:50:45.682-05:00

Despite weeks of breathless pontification over the fate of the Democratic party as women rendered it asunder in the wake of their heroine's loss we come to learn that, in the end, most Democratic party members behaved like-well-Democratic party members.PRINCETON, NJ -- The Democratic convention appears to have helped solidify support for Barack Obama among former Hillary Clinton supporters, with

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-90112893613327821482008-09-03T01:14:00.003-05:002008-09-03T01:26:27.390-05:00

The Anchorage Daily News has a wrapup of how their Governor's new role is being digested by news outlets around the world. For Example:Why the Palin baby story matters (National Review) In the Colorado section, I ran into Sue Sharkey from Windsor. When I asked what she thought, her reaction was not about Palin but herself.Did any Alaskans get a call? (The New York Times) "They didn't speak to

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-77806367205473661762008-09-03T00:33:00.009-05:002008-09-03T01:02:23.867-05:00

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.) edged open his lead a little further in the Presidential race. Pollster's aggregate tracking poll has the Democratic Senator ahead by just over 5% - 48.8% to 43.6%. Today's Gallup tracking poll shows Obama hitting 50% for the first time. The Gallup daily tracking poll only good in the aggregate, too much statistical noise clouds the 1 or 2 point shifts. However, Obama

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-48146328759130906422008-09-02T23:23:00.004-05:002008-09-02T23:41:19.742-05:00

....you're economically illiterate and a whiner.Just when Sen. McCain must have felt he might be getting a bit of distance from the remarks of his economic advisor Sen. Phil Gramm (Gramm is no longer the campaign co-chair, but is still an unofficial advisor), Gramm reanimates his homage to the strength of the American public. ``If you're sitting here today, you're not economically illiterate and

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-56532033288987593952008-08-31T01:37:00.005-05:002008-08-31T02:07:19.635-05:00

A question that arose in the last day as I mulled over the Palin pick was, "Will she be another Eagleton?"St. Louis native Sen. Thomas Eagleton was dropped as Sen. George McGovern's VP selection in 1972 after it was revealed that Eagleton had received treatment for "exhaustion", code for some form of mental health issue. Mental health issues-of all sorts and severities-are still relatively kept

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-50296041235019734612008-08-31T01:08:00.003-05:002008-08-31T01:17:34.006-05:00

Peggy Noonan, former speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan, on her reaction to Sen. Barack Obama's speech.In short: muted but powerful; defining his campaign as serious and worthy of examination; hefty. However, she believes it allows Republicans an opening; the opportunity to use wit and humor against him.It would be interesting to see how likely that prediction holds up following the

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-70320450271228882762008-08-30T17:32:00.003-05:002008-08-30T17:52:12.906-05:00

...By accepting McCain's offer. McCain has already displayed a shocking disrespect for the office of the President and the American people with his mind-boggling choice. Now Palin has compounded the decision by accepting. How many people of good judgment, knowing their qualifications to sit a heart-beat form the Presidency are as thin as Palin's, and respected the responsibility and seriousness

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-49473895595772292852008-08-28T19:34:00.002-05:002008-08-28T19:57:05.502-05:00

Kevin Drum laments the fact that Democrats seem to walk right up to the edge of explaining why Sen. John McCain has abandoned any appearance of principle or character in order to bash his way to the White House, but fail to juxtapose his current "by any means necessary" approach to what made him popular in the first place. Both McCain's "maverick" image and his current 24/7 pander-fest have been

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-47499281948242371342008-07-20T17:56:00.004-05:002008-07-20T18:06:03.228-05:00

"I am not sure if this means I am making things up to attack my opponents or not", but either way it demonstrates the vapidness of those who would see him lose.- Murphy

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-85617111042796012052008-03-29T13:35:00.002-05:002008-03-29T13:39:25.411-05:00

A demand Iraqi President Nuri alMaliki that Shiite militia members in Basra surrender their weapons seems to have backfired. (via Eschaton).When nobody had turned up by Friday, Maliki gave members of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr's Mahdi Army militia 10 more days to turn in their weapons and renounce violence.Instead, about 40 members of the Shiite-dominated Iraqi army and National Police

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-83068704742236312882008-03-29T12:38:00.002-05:002008-03-29T13:21:04.136-05:00

The Iraqi government's growing assault on militia forces in Basra had been expected for some time. The actual timing of the assault, however, has reportedly caught the United States by surprise.That is generally believable except for that the British newspaper the Independent reported on March 20th statements by an Iraqi military leader saying that the Iraqi military were about to do just what

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-85683927294708783482008-02-23T12:45:00.002-06:002008-02-23T13:08:56.216-06:00

 Turkish forces invaded the mountainous border region of Iraq following a sustained air and artillery attack. The operation is aimed, tacitly at the Kurish Workers Party, the PKK. The PKK has conduced numerous raids into Turkey over the issue of a sovereign Kurdish land.  The traditional lands of the Kurdish people chris-crossed  by the modern borders of Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria and Armenia. 

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-67369810864833278672008-02-06T12:04:00.000-06:002008-02-06T12:09:32.505-06:00

The National Review's Stanley Kurtz is imploring conservative voters to get over their McCain fatigue and vote, but not for McCain.Kurtz asks:The notion of staying home — as opposed to going out and voting for a Republican congress–is sheer madness. Given the ongoing wrangle over McCain, the race for congress has got to start coming to the fore as an issue.There is no margin for error in 2008.

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-88027009249474155872007-12-13T00:27:00.000-06:002007-12-13T00:53:25.890-06:00

Speaking on NPR's Talk of the Nation today, author Ronald Kessler criticized the media for publishing the fact that U.S. intelligence services have use waterboarding techniques. That information, he says, hurt U.S. efforts because when potential enemies are being waterboarded, they will be emboldened by the knowledge that it's only "simulated" drowning.I am sure the many despotic governments in

Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05803834705051420258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1168411852828506322007-01-10T00:47:00.000-06:002007-01-10T00:50:52.876-06:00

From Pollster.com, a Gallup poll find 61% of public opposes escalation.- Murphy

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1168410021315175072007-01-10T00:12:00.000-06:002007-01-10T00:23:54.326-06:00

Christopher Hitchens has taken some stretches with his arguments defending the invasion of Iraq and attempting to expose the threat of militant factions Islamic factions, mostly when he has been in the midst of public debate, which is perhaps understandable. When he sits down to tackle history, however, he is often fascinating and displays some truly original scholarship.A recent application of

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1167368429019000252006-12-28T22:57:00.000-06:002006-12-28T23:00:29.036-06:00

In another poll, this time from Research 2000, Clinton leads (22%), with Obama (21%) a close second followed by Edwards (16%) and Gore (10%).- Murphy

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1167367074403200192006-12-28T22:10:00.000-06:002006-12-28T22:37:54.640-06:00

Polls in four important presidential primary states have Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) leading polls while the meteoric Sen. Barack Obama lingers behind. On the Republican side, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) and former New York Mayor Rudi Juliani, trade measures, each grabbing the lead in two states.Obama's high-profile apparently affects regular political consumers more than everyday voters. His

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1166473973250638612006-12-18T14:24:00.000-06:002006-12-18T14:32:53.266-06:00

Our mothers always tell us to do well by others. It's an implicit knowledge of fate, but delivered without the hokey "vision thing." In the end, the rubber band often does snap back in our face.Bonilla's stunning defeat raises a question Republicans cannot dismiss: Could President Bush's home state go blue? Pundits chalked up Texas Gov. Rick Perry's (R) 38-percent win last month to the weird

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1165940609011956822006-12-12T10:08:00.000-06:002006-12-12T10:23:29.050-06:00

Jeeez....just when you think Broadway productions designed to wring the last few dollars out of a formerly authentic idea had hit bottom, along comes this: Like a Rolling Stone.Someone better check on Dylan, this might have killed him.It's like every thing wrong with modern theater rolled into one package. It's like the twisted love child of some forbidden rendezvous between Andrew lloyd Weber

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1165809751745206072006-12-10T21:57:00.000-06:002006-12-10T23:08:03.536-06:00

Juxtaposing Baker in 1994 with his efforts on the Iraq Study Group, The National Review's Michael Rubin believes Baker has slipped his moorings.Comparing Baker 1994 to Baker 2006 is illuminating. Juxtaposition of his attitudes toward Iranian moderates, toward Syrian intentions in Lebanon, and his recognition of the cynicism with which Arab states use the Palestinian conflict show how deeply

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1165808209921421822006-12-10T21:36:00.000-06:002006-12-10T21:38:21.590-06:00

Say it ain't so Carl.It's an ugly rumor, but it's spreading like wildfire: Karl Rove has lost his touch. In an amazing betrayal within a family where top political aide Rove is royalty, Bushies have been sneering at his pre-election happy talk that the gop would keep the Senate and take a slight hit in the House, both soon to be run by Democrats. And now we learn that President Bush really

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1165807918895232242006-12-10T21:30:00.000-06:002006-12-10T21:31:58.913-06:00

So says an ongoing Cook survey. "In the November survey however, those who thought she'd have as good a chance as any climbed 14 points to 60 percent, and those worried that she couldn't win dropped 13 points to 36 percent. There was no significant difference between men and women or among those most likely to vote in a Democratic presidential primary."- Murphy

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1165255169273611752006-12-04T11:54:00.000-06:002006-12-04T11:59:29.300-06:00

Will it be Obama? His meteoric rise to the top seemed a bit too rapid, his star too bright, to take a shot at the biggest game in town; President. Yet he's making the rounds, talking the talk and looking the part.Clinton v. Obama for Dem nominee in '08? The odds are getting better.- Murphy

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1165250102300664272006-12-04T10:33:00.000-06:002006-12-04T10:36:22.396-06:00

The two sides of an extremely bad coin. Both are from Kevin Drum, and both illustrate the level we have reached in Iraq.The so-called, "80%' or "tilt" strategy advocates the United States declare reconciliation between Sunni and Shiite impossible and throw our support behind the Shiite majority. It's a possible path the administration discussed recently. While it does seem like a faster method of

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1165249962273058752006-12-04T09:59:00.000-06:002006-12-04T10:33:03.273-06:00

The Washington Post reports that President Bush accepted U.N. Ambassador John Bolton's resignation today.Bolton's departure from the diplomatic stage is not unsurprising. Not only had the incoming Democratic majority in the Senate already begun responding to questions with, "Bolton who?", but the Republican controlled Congress in 2005 refused to certify him, resulting in Bush sides-stepping the

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1165018826566511402006-12-01T18:07:00.000-06:002006-12-01T18:21:29.943-06:00

The two sides of an extremely bad coin. Both are from Kevin Drum, and both illustrate the level we have reached in Iraq.The so-called, "80%' or "tilt" strategy advocates the United States declare reconciliation between Sunni and Shiite impossible and throw our support behind the Shiite majority. It's a possible path the administration discussed recently. While it does seem like a faster method of

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1164992105214850252006-12-01T10:48:00.000-06:002006-12-01T10:55:05.250-06:00

Where are all the calls for investigation of the leaked Hadley memo? So far, none.Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told Wolf Blitzer on the "The Situation Room" that no investigations are planned.- Murphy

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1164734259575306102006-11-28T11:03:00.000-06:002006-11-28T11:17:39.710-06:00

Judge Richard Posner, speaking on CSPAN on the intertwined roles of intelligence, counter-intelligence and law-enforcement, commented that law-enforcement alone cannot win the war on terrorism, mostly because the way of thinking is somewhat "alien" to law enforcement. As an example he cited the arrest of a group in Miami. He noted that they had a dream, but no materials, training or resources. "

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1164732706007398842006-11-28T10:51:00.000-06:002006-11-28T11:03:09.990-06:00

A piece on the National Review's online gab-fest, The Corner, took the surprising, but realistic, view that the Iraqi elections were a great symbol of promise, but made little actual headway in dealing with the country's troubles. The greatest of these problems is, obviously, the ongoing civil war.The notion that elections bring democracy by teaching people to be responsible for their own bad

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1163192608130472082006-11-10T14:58:00.000-06:002006-11-10T15:03:28.130-06:00

Comment on C-SPAN from a caller: "Democrats have been in power whether you realize it or not." The caller started off saying she and many Republicans like her had stayed home to send the Republicans the message that they hadn't taken the fight to the Democrats enough. The Dems, the caller said, are responsible to obstructing the Republican's efforts.The call came on National Journal during an

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1163192260395110442006-11-10T14:05:00.000-06:002006-11-10T14:57:44.916-06:00

John Judis of the New Republic offers an interesting analysis of how the Democrats won back Congress. The critical term is…independents (surprise!).An illustrative excerpt:But Democrats also won in a host of districts and states that George W. Bush carried in the last election. In some cases, Democrats won primarily because the seat had been held by a Republican implicated in a personal or

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1158906624167604192006-09-22T01:16:00.000-05:002006-09-22T01:30:24.213-05:00

There is a story of journalistic courage that will hopefully re-spark the debate over the role of journalism and the protection of sources, a debate that is stained following the circus over the CIA leak investigation.The two San Francisco Chronicle reporters who kicked in the door to slugger Barry Bond's skeleton closet are now facing 18 months in jail for mining exactly the same vein the San

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1158299149834605172006-09-15T00:41:00.000-05:002006-09-15T00:45:49.853-05:00

Macy's is running commercials in St. Louis. They integrate Eero Saarinen's Arch in the commercials, but still have a "we're not based in St. Louis" feel. - Murphy

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1158211629172386222006-09-14T00:18:00.000-05:002006-09-14T00:27:09.200-05:00

Former Slate columnist Eric Umansky examines the ebb and flow of journalistic coverage of the Bush Administration's tactics in prosecuting its foreign policy.Reporters and news organizations deserve enormous credit for exposing the abuse and torture of detainees during the U.S. war on terror, more than other institutions or individuals. Without Carlotta Gall, The New Yorker’s Seymour Hersh, The

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1157485397363586322006-09-05T14:39:00.000-05:002006-09-05T14:43:17.363-05:00

Iraqi leader Ayatollah al-Sistani has thrown up his hands and is on his way out of Iraqi politics. Up, until recently, Sistani has been widely viewed as a moderating force. The increasing sectarian violence combined with little trust in the "official" enforcement, police and army, has splintered the remaining middle ground.- Murphy

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6496379.post-1157484926504470182006-09-05T14:29:00.000-05:002006-09-05T14:35:26.526-05:00

Great piece in Newsweek by Fareed Zakaria.One man who is greatly enjoying being the subject of this outsize portraiture is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He has gone from being an obscure and not-so-powerful politician—Iran is a theocracy, remember, so the mullahs are ultimately in control—to a central player in the Middle East simply by goading the United States and watching Washington take the bait. By

Schlafly Beernoreply@blogger.com0