Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Gore Speaking Out at MoveOn.org The DLC loves Gore, or at least likes him, but they don’t like Howard Dean. Meanwhile, Gore is starting to out-Dean Howard Dean: Former Vice President Al Gore, assailing U.S. policies in Iraq and at home, on Thursday argued that the Bush administration “routinely shows disrespect” for the “honest and […]

Red vs. Blue Update Nathan Newman reports that The Tax Foundation has issued its latest report on who pays and who gets paid. The results: the Red States are subsidized by the Blue States. In Newman’s words, “And large industrial “blue states” inevitably receive less. California receives only $5592 per capita for its citizens, New […]

Good News, but Where are the Jobs? “America’s business productivity soared in the second quarter of 2003 and new claims for unemployment benefits dropped to a six-month low last week, a double dose of good news as the economy tries to get back to full throttle.” Productivity in the second quarter grew at an annualized […]

Mike Hawash Update You may recall the story of Mike Hawash, a U.S. citizen arrested in March and held without access to council for five weeks until charges were filed. The eventual charges were for attempting to aid the Taliban, conspiring to levy war against the United States, and conspiring to provide material support for […]

Hey! Did you hear that Arnold Schwarzenegger is, should Gray Davis be recalled, running for for Governor of California? What? You already knew that? Ok. Here’s a Terminator-worthy line from Mr. S.:”I will go to Sacramento, and I will clean house.” Still, I think it would have been better if he held his press conference […]

Ahh, The Daily Show Tonight, Jon Stewart gave Dean a bit of a hard time, which is a good sign for Dean–it means the writers think viewers now know who Dean is, unlike, say, Dennis Kucinic. Then he turned to Lieberman and played his wilderness line, which I wrote about here. Here’s Jon, echoing my […]

Thank the Lord The Rev. Cn. Gene Robinson was cleared today of the ridiculous on their face charges against him. On Sunday, Rev. Robinson won confirmation in the first of two votes required for him to become the first gay Bishop of the Episcopal Church. That victory led to last minute charges of inappropriate contact […]

What’s Wrong With This? Texas Dems are still safely holed up in New Mexico. Meanwhile Republicans are launching a radio offensive. From an Austin-American Statesman story today: State Republican leaders will take to the airways today…Hosts of four talk radio shows will interview Gov. Rick Perry, House Speaker Tom Craddick and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst […]

Dean Responds See the previous post for some comments Lieberman made about Dean. Now Dean is firing back–by focusing on his own record and positions rather than attacking fellow-Democrats like Joe Lieberman. Here’s Dean: “I am in the center. I balanced budgets. The president hasn’t done so. I believe that states have the right to […]

Joe Lieberman Kos recently defended Lieberman, mostly by pointing out that, based on American Conservative Union ratings of Senators, “the most liberal GOoPer is FAR MORE CONSERVATIVE than Lieberman!” Kos advised laying off Lieberman, a sentiment echoed by CalPundit and Yglesias, and I agree: Lieberman on his worst day is miles better than Bush on […]