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25 Jul 2011 23:09

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Politics: A little perspective on this whole deficit mess

  • This graph, courtesy of the New York Times, has been making the rounds today, and it’s worth examining. Note that health care reform, much-maligned by the right as deficit-killer, cost less than even the most inexpensive of George W. Bush’s policies (that policy being Medicare Part D). Note also that the Bush tax cuts alone added more to the deficit than all of President Obama’s new policies combined — and that’s including projected spending over the course of a theoretical second term.  source

30 Jun 2011 15:24

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U.S.: Robert Gates awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

  • Last day on the job: The path Robert Gates took as a defense secretary for successive administrations (under the control of different parties) is very unique, and as such you can understand President Obama wanting to give him this sort of an honored send-off. You can be sure that Gates feels the love. source

31 May 2011 19:09

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Politics: Blagojevich defense: Prosecution is “making faces” (no really)

  • We just ask that they stop making faces while he’s testifying.
  • Lauren Kaeseberg, defense attorney for Rod Blagojevich • Complaining to the presiding Judge James Zagel that the prosecution team was making faces and having animated discussions during the testimony of ex-Governor Blagojevich. The defense’s argument would seem to be that the prosecution, who directly face the jury, might be swaying opinions with their reactions. Prosecuting attorney Reid Schar said he’d be mindful of it, but that he didn’t believe they had been making any unusual faces during the testimony — Judge Zagel, similarly, agreed to “watch the government very carefully,” but said he didn’t notice anything. source

24 May 2011 15:58

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Politics: Trial of the Century: Blagojevich may testify in his own defense

  • Big day for Blago? The Chicago Tribune is reporting that “sources” indicate disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich may take the stand to testify in his own defense. We forgive you if you’re skeptical, as we heard repeated proclamations from the man himself that he would testify in his last trial, only for his defense to rest without his name being called. Now in his retrial, will Blagojevich give the public what they want? His defense team has also implied they might call some high-profile witnesses from the political world, among them Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. source

12 May 2011 15:29

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Politics: Rep. Joe Barton, the white knight of “b** oil”

  • I don’t think it should be a pejorative. We’ve got this mentality on the liberal side of our political debate: big oil, big insurance, big this, big that.
  • Rep. Joe Barton • Sticking up for big oil (oops!) during a committee hearing today. In all honesty, it’s difficult to take Barton seriously on energy issues, and that’s not just a liberal taking a pot shot at the “R” next to his name. Barton is absolutely soaked in oil cash; if last year’s totals remain true, he’s received more contributions from big oil than any member of the House dating back to 1990, over $1.5 million in that span. That money can buy a lot of loyalty, from apologizing to BP over the gulf spill compensation fund, to trying to turn “big oil” into a slur, something we’ve never thought of as inherently pejorative. Barton also insisted the term wasn’t right, as the largest private oil company, ExxonMobil, is only the fifth largest worldwide, the other four being nationalized. Which makes it unfortunate for Barton that he decried “big oil” instead of “biggest oil.” Oh, and lest you think Joe Barton just hates labels, you know what he hates more? Obamacare! source

05 Apr 2011 14:53

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Politics: Mr. Glass goes to Washington … to defend NPR’s honor

  • frustration Following conservative activist (or hatchet man, if you prefer) James O’Keefe’s video embarrassing an NPR fundraiser, radio host Ira Glass was upset that NPR seemed to cede to claims of a liberal bias, which he thinks is nonsense.
  • pushback Glass took to Washington DC, giving a speech at George Washington University. He said that he’d asked Brooke Gladstone, one of the hosts of “On The Media” to dig up any statistics on these accusations against NPR. source
  • » Numbers and thoughts on bias: Glass cited a study on NPR by FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) which found their guests, from a partisan standpoint, were 60% Republican and 40% Democratic. He also defended NPR’s hosts, saying that Michele Norris asking a CEO if we can afford to eliminate taxes for certain companies isn’t bias, because she’d ask the same question of someone in favor of spending increases. But as the first example infers a pro-tax bent, a conservative might decry it as bias when it really isn’t. It’s an interesting take from an interesting man, and we urge you to give the full article a look.

28 Mar 2011 13:49

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Politics: Gingrich still manuevering over hypocrisy charges

  • I understood that in a federal court, in a case in front of a federal judge, to commit a felony, which is what he did, perjury, was a felony. The question I raise was very simple: should a president of the United States be above the law?
  • Newt Gingrich • Addressing the Clinton impeachment effort, and the charges of hypocrisy that he’s again having to contend with as he mulls a presidential run. For what it’s worth, this is probably the most compelling case you could make for his actions being internally justified, even in light of his own infidelity. However, it’s a bit difficult to take this at face value when not a week ago he was claiming his work ethic and love for his country drove him to the arms of other women, a rather lame rationalization made to try to salvage his relationship with the evangelical Christians. Our take? If you’re volunteering these defenses before you’ve even running, that’s a problem. This campaign could very well be dead on arrival. source
 

29 Jan 2011 19:46

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World: Residents of Cairo defending their stuff with kitchen knives

  • Cairo neighborhoods are being policed by local residents wielding kitchen knives and hunting rifles, after the military called for civilians to protect their own property.
  • A recent update from al-Jazeera’s live blog • Which we really have nothing to add to, other than to hope that these residents stay safe this evening in the wake of great danger. source

02 Nov 2010 10:53

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World: Britain is screwed: They entered a security agreement WITH FRANCE.

  • Today we open a new chapter in a long history of co-operation on defence and security between Britain and France. The result will make our citizens safer, more secure and better protected in the global age of uncertainty in which we now live.
  • British Prime Minister David Cameron • Announcing a new security deal between his country and France. The deal includes cooperation on certain military resources, including aircraft carriers, submarines, nuclear technology and ground forces. You may think this is a good idea now, David, but you’ll be eating your hat the second that France surrenders. Just you wait, Davey boy. source

21 Aug 2010 14:35

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World: Blackwater (remember them?) nailed for export violations in Iraq

  • $42M the amount the former Blackwater (now Xe) had to pay for export violations
  • 288 the number of defense-related violations Blackwater was cited for between 2003 to 2009
  • 17 the number of Iraqis that died in a controversial Blackwater-caused incident in 2007 source