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

Disaster Ready with this Republican Administration?

I watched a Nova show titled: Baltimore Bridge Collapse It got me wondering: What Ifs? The specifics I mention regarding the bridge come from this show and this Wikipedia article. We have all been hearing and asking, “what if there is another pandemic”. With the personnel/financial cuts and head of agency changes the current Republican […]

Democratic Policy Without Ideology is just Random Activity

Regarding my commentary on the need for ideology, maybe this will help clarify my position. Ideological Purge: DOGE’s Federal Layoffs Especially Target Agencies Perceived as Liberal Two responses to my discussion questioned what are the policies positions. There were specific issues of concern presented. I was not addressing specific policy at all. That these questions […]

Democrats, Ignore your Marriage Counselors

Hello everyone. It has been a while but… Anyway, this is my thinking on the question asked here a few days ago: Do Democrats and Progressives need a marriage counselor or a divorce lawyer. It is long, so forewarned. First, let’s be clear on the idea of the Overton Window. Wikipedia notes the creator’s view […]

An honorable Republican

I’ve only voted for a Republican once (John Anderson, in a presidential primary in North Carolina), but if I lived in Vermont, I might vote for Republican governor Phil Scott: “Many point to his steady hand during crises, including last summer’s historic flooding and the pandemic, when he appeared in daily, low-key televised briefings to […]

Strategic Lying as Political Art

If you listen to Randi Rhodes, you know she is still livid over Romney being declared the “winner” in last week’s – we’ll call it a “debate” for the nonce. Alas, though, the reason he won is that poll numbers have moved in his favor.  Whether that bounce is robust remains to be seen.  But […]

I Take No Joy in Raping and Pillaging

Chris Christie moves New Jersey into the 17th century: Christie is cutting $475 million in aid to school districts, $62 million in aid to colleges and $12 million to hospital charity care. He is pulling all funding from the department of Public Advocate….He is cutting state subsidies for NJ Transit, a move Christie said could […]

A Response to Megan McArdle, Again (by cactus)

by cactus Megan McArdle responds to a post I wrote: So Obama doesn’t count because he’s not really a Democrat. But Bill Clinton was. But Richard Nixon–the chap who implemented price controls and massively expanded Social Security and Medicare–was definitely a Republican. Jimmy Carter, who deregulated like mad: definitely a Democrat. What are these policies […]

Clearly a Commie-Symp Terrorist

Who said: The United States participated actively and effectively in the negotiation of the [1984 UN Convention on Torture] . It marks a significant step in the development during this century of international measures against torture and other inhuman treatment or punishment. Ratification of the Convention by the United States will clearly express United States […]

Attention Republicans/Blue Dog Democrates: Tax cuts as stimulus work against your goal

by Divorced one like Bush I think it’s time to reread the World Bank report on what creates wealth because it seems that the arguments against the stimulus are from a mind-set of very narrow thinking about what creates wealth. They all seem focused on what the World Bank report calls “Produced Capital”. Unfortunately, focusing […]

Once is History, Twice is Parody and Ignorance

Gary Farber (so far only via Facebook) (UPDATE: Now here) finds a reprint from the 8 March 1933 issue of The Nation: At the risk of gilding the tinsel, let the record be set down finally as The Nation takes leave this week of the “only party fit to rule.” American memories are short. Four […]