Hillary Clinton has talked about what making the Green Corps a central part of her environmental initiatives. The idea, of course, is to reduce America’s dependency on foreign oil and reduce pollutant emissions, and thereby reverse or lessen climate change, by relying on wind, solar, and bio-fuels as sources of energy. Sounds great. Too bad…
Op-Ed Blog
TAMU vs. UCLA
Not to be a sore loser – which I am, in truth – but there was way too much "home cooking" being dished out in the last few minutes of this 2nd round NCAA game, including the last play of the game on which no foul was called. Nope, nothing to see here. Donald Sloan…
Why Indeed?
What We All Want
A well-known commentator said the following yesterday in response to Barack Obama’s speech. Without peeking, who do you think the author is and does the statement stand on its own to definitively define the difference between conservatives and liberals? We all want opportunity for our kids. We all want a growing, expanding economy. The argument…
Obama, Race and Religion
Today Barack Obama delivered a strong speech about race and how, in his opinion, this country needs to reconcile its color issues. The man is an inspiring speaker, no doubt. But what of his substance? Do his ideas represent what is best for the future of this country? In some respects, perhaps. In my mind…
Too Many Americans Behind Bars
KHOU in Houston reports that over 1% of the adults in America are in prison – more than China and, tellingly, more than Iran. America is supposed to be the land of the free. So why are so many of our citizens in the pokey? Drugs, in a word. KHOU says: “After 15 years in…
Kos-ites on Strike. Web a Better Place?
How could the answer to that question be anything but a resounding "Yes!", you ask? Well, it seems it’s the more sane writers at Kos that are on strike, which necessarily leaves only the dregs of the Internet still "working"* there. "Alegre" says: I’ve put up with the abuse and anger because I’ve always believed…
House FISA Bill Denies Telco Amnesty
The House of Representatives today voted to pass a Democratic plan to update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, defying President Bush’s demand that telecom companies that cooperated with the Justice Department be granted immunity for their actions. As I’ve said repeatedly, it makes no sense to penalize the telecoms for doing what they thought they…
No Defense for Consumers
If you’re in the mood to get good and hacked off at Congress for failing to live up to its responsibility to ensure that citizens’ views are aired to in its chambers, read Elizabeth Warren’s piece on the House’s credit-card hearings. The first panel was four regular people who wanted to give first-hand information about…
Too Thin Political Skin
James Carville, one of Bill Clinton’s campaign advisers back in the day, wrote this dead-on piece as a post-mortem to the sad little affair of Samantha "Monster" Power. To prevent her candidate from further embarrassment, Ms Power performed the ritual act of American political hara-kiri and resigned. The problem is that calls for resignation are…