Tempted to call this…”On the Ground in Afghanistan.” But when I wasn’t falling down on patrol, I managed to report and write this story, which–without making judgments–says a lot, I think, about the difficulties American troops are facing in this war. I’ll have broader observations, and opinions, about the war in a few days, after [...]
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell came out in vociferous opposition to the current financial reform bill on Tuesday, arguing the legislation “institutionalizes… endless taxpayer-funded bailouts” that will ultimately allow the failed giants of Wall Street to escape accountability. McConnell’s criticism comes at a pivotal time for the legislation; the ink is still drying on the [...]
A little more than a week ago, Tom Coburn did something fairly courageous by political standards. At a town hall meeting in Oklahoma, the conservative Republican senator referred to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as a “nice lady” and criticized Fox News. (He was briefly booed for the Pelosi comment.) After an audience member mentioned “the [...]
For weeks now, suspense, like springtime pollen, has flitted through the air in Washington. The reason is something that almost no one in America understands: derivatives. One type of these complex financial products–credit default swaps–played a central role in the recent financial collapse, serving as a sort of Trojan Horse that hid vast amounts of [...]
It is with a heavy heart that I put up the first post-Karen 1,000 words from our White House photo blog: Brennan Linsley / AP
When Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens announced last Friday that he would retire at the end of this term, thus leaving a liberal gap on the bench, the next great legislative war was conceived. As Stephen Colbert colorfully put it last night, “No matter who the president nominates, cable news will be talking about [...]
Who isn’t mad at the airlines these days? First, they took away our free meals. Sure, those meals were microwaved, bland and often gummy, but still. Then, airlines started charging for checked bags. This will not stand, we declared! Well, it did stand and now nearly all airlines charge for the privilege. But there was [...]
Just weeks after President Obama’s secret weekend mission to Kabul, First Lady Michelle Obama showed up today unannounced in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden, proving that secret overseas trips can be family affairs too. From the White House release: First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden are visiting Haiti to underscore [...]
