Liberal Talk Radio

Last week I suggested that an Obama administration, of it were extremely lucky and everything went smashingly, might eek out 3 big achievements in the first term: wind down the war, reform health care, and institute a cap and trade regime to cut carbon emissions. After thinking about it for a bit, it occured [...]

Bang-up piece, as per usual, from Mark Schmitt, this time on conservatives’ brand of identity politics: “we’re real Americans and the rest of you are, well…. not.” Hard to excerpt a money quote so you’ll have to go read the whole thing.

Fascinating two-part series on NPR this week on Muslim polygamy in the U.S., among a small number of Muslim immigrants, but also African-American converts to Islam.
While various conservative nitwits have gotten the vapors, what I find interesting is the fact that, at the root, this issue, like so many others in the world, [...]

And here you thought jihadists had no concept of women’s rights:
On the street, Malika El Aroud is anonymous in an Islamic black veil covering all but her eyes.
In her living room, Ms. El Aroud, a 48-year-old Belgian, wears the ordinary look of middle age: a plain black T-shirt and pants and curly brown hair. The [...]

“I don’t think John McCain is too old to be president. John is incredibly healthy. After all, he’s had government health insurance his whole life.”

Our local Tim Russert is taking a job at City Hall. That’s a real loss for Seattle. The phrase “local television journalist” is now once again an oxymoron.

That’s a long time to be living in a motel:
What worsens matters are the semantic games played by the motel’s owners, who’ve declined interviews and even ran away from a reporter.
Reading between the lines, they have suggested that their tenants are not entitled to renters’ rights — such as protection from quick eviction — because [...]

Given how much I hate the farm bill, I feel obligated to link to this David Brooks column where he praises McCain for opposing it and slams Obama for supporting it.
Anyone who thinks Obama can change the world is going to be sorely disappointed by his first term in office. It’s time to start [...]

Obama edges closer to the nomination while reinventing how campaigns are financed. plus: California’s Supreme Court puts and end to marriage discrimination.
Links Mentioned: Obama’s financial machine shuts out the 527s … background on the marriage equality ruling here and here.

Because this is when things just get silly*:
It’s expected to bring some 60,000 people to Louisville and some prominent political figures, including presidential candidate John McCain.
The NRA convention starts Friday at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
. . .
The south wing was bustling with activity Thursday, the day before the National Rifle Association Convention opens in Louisville. [...]