Some libs think it’s foolish for Obama team to attack Fox News, but some don’t

25 comments October 26th, 2009

 

 Lots of liberals, including several of my friends, have looked askance at the Obama administration’s willingness to wage war against Fox News.

 But I’m inclined to think it’s a shrewd strategy that will pay dividends in the long run. And I’m not alone in that regard, as we see HERE.

Snowe ain’t so hot

13 comments October 26th, 2009

 

 Howard Fineman NAILS IT.

 An excerpt:

 [T]he pursuit of [Olympia] Snowe is pretty close to obsessive, which is not a good thing either for Democrats or for the prospects of health-care reform worthy of the name. First, Snowe’s exaggerated prominence is both the result and symbol of Obama’s quixotic and ultimately time-wasting pursuit of “bipartisanship.” In case the White House hasn’t noticed, Republicans in Congress are engaged in what amounts to a sitdown strike. They don’t like anything about Obama or his policies; they have no interest in seeing him succeed. Despite the occasional protestation to the contrary, the GOP has no intention of helping him pass any legislation. Snowe may very well end up voting for whatever she and Democrats craft, but that won’t make the outcome bipartisan any more than dancing shoes made Tom DeLay Fred Astaire.

Will Chicago privatize its water utility?

5 comments October 26th, 2009

 

 With cities across America strapped for cash, THIS KIND OF THING could become a trend.

 But how well will it work?

Massachusetts’ experience suggests that national health-care reform will be popular

13 comments October 26th, 2009

 

 Paul Krugman offers an EDUCATED GUESS on the future of health-care reform.

 A few excerpts:

 Right now it looks highly likely that Congress will, indeed, send a health care bill to the president’s desk. Then what?

 Conservatives insist (and hope) that reform will fail, and that there will be a huge popular backlash. Some progressives worry that they might be right, that the imperfections of reform — what we’re about to get will be far from ideal — will be so severe as to undermine public support. And many critics complain, with some justice, that the planned reform won’t do much to contain rising costs.

 But the experience in Massachusetts, which passed major health reform back in 2006, should dampen conservative hopes and soothe progressive fears…

 [I]f the Massachusetts experience is any guide, health care reform will have broad public support once it’s in place and the scare stories are proved false. The new health care system will be criticized; people will demand changes and improvements; but only a small minority will want reform reversed.

 This thing is going to work.

Is the party of family values actually the largest walk-in closet in America?

6 comments October 26th, 2009

 There’s nothing downright vulgar in this video, but it’s nonetheless for adults only.

 Take notice of Max Blumenthal’s reference to a study on repressed homophobic homosexuals, a study to which I’ve alluded on several occasions in comment threads.

A precursor to today’s teabagger rhetoric

5 comments October 26th, 2009

 

 This handbill accusing John F. Kennedy of treason is UP FOR AUCTION.

 (Hat-tip to J-Walk Blog.)

Newt Gingrich, like nature, abhors a vacuum

Add comment October 26th, 2009

 

 Newtie says he might run for president in 2012 if he finds that there’s “a vacuum.”

 But he said pretty much the same thing prior to the 2008 campaign, as Steve M. notes HERE.

Does it make good sense for U.S. to stick its fist into hornet’s nest in Afghanistan?

4 comments October 26th, 2009

 

 Fareed Zakaria, who’s not exactly a flaming liberal, offers some USEFUL INSIGHTS on the dilemma the United States faces in Afghanistan.

  A few excerpts:

 Dick Cheney has accused Barack Obama of “dithering” over Afghanistan. If the president were to quickly invade a country on the basis of half-baked intelligence, would that demonstrate his courage and decisiveness to Cheney? In fact, it’s not a bad idea for Obama to take his time, examine all options and watch how the post-election landscape in Afghanistan evolves…

 [F]ocusing on the number of additional troops needed “misses the point entirely,” says Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander Obama put in place this summer. “The key takeaway” from his now-famous assessment “is the urgent need for a significant change to our strategy and the way we think and operate.” The quotes are from the third paragraph of his 66-page memo. These changes in strategy have just begun.