Thursday, March 31, 2011
Watch Presidential First Pitches...
H.W. and W. share the award for best pitch but if i had to chose I think H.W. has the edge. South Paws Clinton and Obama need some work...
Romney Blasts Obama On Jobs
Even though the Libyan Conflict is not polling too well, a potential Republican Presidential Nominee tries to bring America's attention back to Obama's achilles heel: Jobs.
So How is the BP Oil Spill Cleanup and Recovery Going?
The current scenario shows all signs of massive corruption:
Beaches still not fully cleaned up. Check.
No workers actively cleaning up beaches. Check.
BP rent-a-cops patrolling beaches that are still dirty with oil to make sure journalists can't take pics. Check.
Lawyer in charge of distributing $20 billion fund gets salary from BP. Check.
Fresh oil washes ashore with no reports of any new spills. Check
Same lawyer's salary goes from $800,000 PER MONTH, to $1.25 million PER MONTH. Check.
(http://blog.al.com/wire/2011/03/bp_raises_ken_feinbergs_monthl.html)
Widespread charges of fraud and negligence charged against BP fund. Check.
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/8350754/BP-oil-spill-fund-sued-for-fraud-and-negligence.html)
BP fund recipients claim their payouts were inadequate. Check.
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/nov/24/bp-oil-spill-damages-claims)
BP fund recipients legally unable to sue BP, or any other company involved for further damages. Check.
(http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-24/feinberg-spill-fund-recipients-can-t-sue-bp-companies-involved.html)
I hate that the media is so obsessed with the cobra escape, the teen mom backyard brawl, and Charlie Sheen that they can't do their actual job of watchdog and report on something like this.
Anybody want to play Joe Barton?
Another Haunting Take on College Life from a Parents Perspective
I wonder what our parents would think of Hamilton if Accepted Students Day included a mock-Bundy party, casual surprise visits to fratboy dorm rooms laden with huge tvs sporting ESPN, video games, and raunchy comedies, and some late night downtown VT shenanigans. Better yet, let's have Accepted Students Day on Class and Charter Day.
This Seems Like a Great Way to Regulate the Oil and Gas Industry
Not. The GOP governor of Pennsylvania's new regulation proposal forces regulators to get the OK from political appointees on all oil and gas industry safety violations. The fines paid for these violations are already small and are ignored by many companies, so this proposal cripples needed regulations that are already pretty weak.
EPA Reports Massive Drop In US CO2 Emissions
Who should we thank for this? Capitalism, the EPA, Obama, George W. Bush, or the recession?!?
Americans Divided Over Legalizing, Taxing Marijuana
Could this be an issue that the free market, deficit-obsessed, tea party right, and the hippy, environment-loving left could agree on?
Also, here's Ron Paul on hemp, the non-drug, industrial form of marijuana that can be used to make paper, rope, ethanol, and many other industrial products. It is currently outlawed in the US even though it cannot be used by people as a drug.
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/03/ron-paul-hemp-legalization
Opening Day, A little story about presidents and the american past time
It is opening day in baseball and with it the ushering in of another season of America's greatest game. Despite talks of a Gov shutdown, a war in Libya, and turmoil in the middle east, I think I have found something that everyone can agree on: GO TIGERS!
Obama and his coattails effect in 2012...
I think we will see a turn-around for the Dems in 2012 not necessarily because of sweeping support for Obama but because of the losses we saw in 2010. What I am saying is that I do not think Obama will have anything to do with people coming out rather Dems, who have suffered over the past few months watching the new GOP freshman, will come out because of their guilt for failing to come out last election. While it’s impossible to predict where we will be in 2012, with Obama’s approval rating being the lowest it has ever been, I can’t foresee Obamanation saving the day for Congressional Dems like in 2010. However, I can see all the Dems that watched the GOP “young guns” take control of the House come to the polls to try and reclaim lost ground.
Let's Defend those Rebels in Libya...Even If We Have No Idea Who They Are...C'Mon Hillary?
This sounds awfully familiar to the Nancy Pelosi method of "Let's get this health care bill passed...and then we'll find out what's actually in it." This Roger Simon article addresses some very concerning issues regarding US involvement in Libya.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
No mention of "Media Bias: A Primer" presentation on Hamilton News Feed
Liberal Media Bias anyone? I'm a less concerned about internet providers censoring internet content, and more concerned about Hamilton College censoring conservative content. Thoughts?
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Why the District of Columbia Still Doesn't Have Voting Rights
Two major reasons: race and the GOP. Favorite line: "to establish a vote in Congress for Washingtonians, who are overwhelmingly Democrats, Republicans would have to place a moral imperative ahead of partisan interests." I don't see the modern Republican party ever doing anything close to that. If the tea party really wanted to emulate the real tea party and the American founders, they would end DC's system of "taxation without representation."
Whats in the beef?
The move to buy your beef from local farmers is valuable. By supporting local farms and their humane cow-rearing, you are not only going to save money (if you buy in bulk), but also eat healthier. However, the problem is, where do I find a local farm and where do I put a QUARTER of a cow? If we can figure this stuff out I would be able to enjoy beef on a more regular and more cost-effective/calorie efficient basis.
Green Vehicles!
Obama will call on Congress to create a "clean energy standard." Maybe nuclear could replace oil with the consumer incentives for clean/green cars. Walmart Lawsuit-Cui Bono?
I have gotten into a number of interesting debates with friends of mine in Women's Studies classes over the past two years. One of the most recurrent debates has been Walmart's treatment of women. While there is an abundance of evidence that suggests women faced discrimination as part of a Walmart policy, there is also a lot of evidence to the contrary. This article argues that the Supreme Court should not permit the lawsuit to turn into the largest class-action lawsuit in history. I agree, but I am not immobile on this topic. It seems to me that each of these women encountered discrimination to varying degrees (if they encountered it at all). This would, in my opinion, preclude them from entering into a class action lawsuit. One thing is certain, Feminists and Business Execs will be sweating this decision until it comes out in late June.
Fox Caught Bending the Truth About Obama's Beliefs
Here's another take on it that touches on Fox's supposed distinction between news and opinion:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/29/961219/-Fox-News-managing-editor:-I-lied-on-air-to-smear-Obama?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29&utm_content=Twitter
Non-Profits Lobbying Against Spending Cuts
A topical application of this week's readings...
P.S. Yes, the cartoon is completly unrelated to my article. However, it popped up in my google search and I found it humorous. And it is about lobbying...
World Bank
Website of World Bank. For next Wednesday, become an expert on the history and current work of the World Bank.
The End of Obesity.
I know, a very bad joke on the title. But at least those with money will have an easier time dieting.
GOP Spending Cuts Don't Include Any Items on GAO's List of Programs at High Risk for Waste, Fraud and Abuse
I am not a big Dennis Kucinich fan but politifact ranks his comment on this as true. The GAO is the government accountability office, which is a federal agency that acts as a watchdog for waste, fraud and abuse, among other things. They published a list of programs that were wasteful, yet the GOP ignored them. I think the most interesting item on GAO's list is the $295 BILLION the IRS could collect if it was adequately staffed. It seems here that the GOP is not only against higher taxes, but also against properly collecting them at all. Their budget cuts IRS funding, which will result in less revenue. This is another signal to me that the GOP doesn't care about cutting deficits, just about cutting programs they don't like.
Jimmy Carter in Cuba
President Jimmy Carter is currently visiting Cuba, and as the article suggests, possibly going on a diplomatic mission to rescue an American that was sentenced to 15 years in jail. I think there is a good chance that Carter will be successful in helping the prisoner. What I am unsure of is what this will mean for Cuba-US relations. Raul Castro has been much more receptive to the United States, than his brother was. I wonder if this could be the start of something bigger or simply a blip on the radar.
Terrance Briscoe is an American Legend
Who'd've ever thought that all it took to get a front page Washington Post article was jumping around at basketball games.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Top House Leadership Aide Admits GOP Only Wants Non-Defense Discretionary Spending Cuts
So, we are headed for a government shutdown because the White House is offering to cut spending including mandatory spending, aka entitlements, by $ 30 billion through the end of this fiscal year, but the GOP wants Dems to pick from "their menu" aka the CR, and does not accept these newly proposed cuts. Basically, they want Dems to only agree to cuts from non-defense discretionary spending. Aren't they the ones saying we need to tackle entitlements? Aren't they the supposedly serious deficit reducers?
EU to ban cars in cities by 2050
Seems a little over the top to me especially with hybrids and electric cars starting to take up more of the car market. But atleast somebody is doing something meaningful about climate change.
What Happens When the Rebels Can't Win?
I realize that we have debated Libya a lot recently, but I found this NY Times article today that raises some important questions. To begin with, it is important to note that we are only in Libya to protect civilians, not necessarily to aid the rebels. Those two goals have gone hand in hand for a while, but when Gaddafi’s forces and the rebels inevitably meet, NATO and the Arab League will have a hard time justifying an intervention on behalf of the rebels. Additionally, we do not know what the rebels will do if they come to power. They are a pretty ragtag bunch without any central authority. What happens if they start killing Gaddafi loyalists or (more likely) turn on each other? Will NATO launch air attacks against them too? Suppose Gaddafi says he will no longer harm civilians and follows through on that pledge. What happens then? I look forward to listening to President Obama’s speech on Libya tonight. He will have a hard time convincing me that we have plotted a strong path towards Democracy in Libya, but I hope he offers some insight into his decision making.
EVERYONE HAS POTOMAC FEVER
Yes class, I do obsess over the Travel, Dining & Wine, Fashion & Style, Health, and Science sections of the NYTimes...forgive me for not following and analyzing every breath of all political leaders and office holders around the globe. Today, though, while surfing Fashion & Style, I found a little article about Bloggers in DC: "Young Pundits Become Washington's Media Elite". That's us! Next step is to get our name out there so the world can witness the brilliance (mess?) that we are... Senate Judiciary to Hold Hearing on Protecting Muslims Civil Rights
How could they single out one religion like this? This is only one of the minority groups that faces discrimination.
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