I was pleasantly surprised by John Edwards’ campaigning snippet on the NewsHour last night. Except for an annoying tendency to congratulate the questioning audience members, he did a good job. Perhaps a number of the candidates are revealing that in fact they are good campaigners and professional speakers and that the problems of the Democratic […]
If we’re looking for any indication that 9/11 did not enact a seismic shift in our perspective, the facile citation of state and local “emergency” might be the place to start. For instance, this recent snow storm was a major one, bringing a good amount of snow earlier in the season than is normal. But […]
I rather enjoyed the NewsHour’s interview with former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin last night, in part because Rubin is such an affable personality and capable of speaking about policy matters in an engaging way. One of the most striking moments came in his criticism on the current administration’s and Congress’s fiscal policy:
PAUL SOLMAN: So when […]
Slate has a hilarious, spot-on review of the new Keno twins antiques show on PBS, tackling among other things the disturbing sexual sublimation that forms the basis of the Kenos’ banter and their furniture adoration.
The twins’ very twinness is a kind of novelty act, the show’s ace in the hole, and they love to […]
I normally don’t like the television network news magazine shows with a thesis, as they tend to accept an expert’s thesis and structure the whole program around it. Peter Jennings’ report on American obesity and the food industries, which aired on ABC last night, was no exception. Its thesis was clear: that agricultural subsidies […]
For those who missed it on the NewsHour last week, check out Roger Mudd’s study of the Bush Blue tie that’s become the favorite political symbol in Washington.
It was a blue that the paint store color charts might call “rock-a-bye blue” or “bassinet blue,” and it was a blue that sent a signal: “I, […]
I really do not understand the new TV ad from Joe Lieberman getting an endorsement not from John McCain but from New Hampshire voters who voted for McCain last time around. Yes, McCain won the primary in an amazing comeback victory, but it was in the Republican primary. Lieberman, if he’s to be successful, has […]
In my post yesterday on the difference between pro-business and pro-market impulses of conservative policy, I neglected an obvious point: that Democrats - or more precisely, the swath of the political spectrum that the Democrats represent - vary in the strength of their support for the market. What’s surprising about this presidential primary race so […]
There are two terms - often bandied about in favor of conservative politicians and policy - that confuse divergent meanings. The first and biggest culprit is “fiscally conservative.” On one hand it can mean sound fiscal policy, of not spending more than one takes in, or at least borrowing prudently to safeguard government bond ratings. […]
Greater Boston had a piece last night on the suit the State Republican party is bringing to change the Legislature’s decision to hold a special election for Cheryl Jacques’ vacated seat on the same day as the Democratic primary. State Democratic Party head Phil Johnson was defending the legislature, claiming that in a budget crisis […]
This is the first day of the new LeftCenterLeft weblog and the last of the website it is replacing, Marxists for Keynes. I have moved all old posts over already, and will spend the next couple of weeks getting them in order and cleaning up dead links as well as tinkering with the layout and […]
Brad DeLong sometimes has a knack for aphorism:
The thing to complain about is not the creeping socialization of the medical sector. After all, market solutions simply do not work well in an area as rife with adverse selection as health insurance. (Unless, of course, one is happy with lots of very sick people not getting […]
I guess Mayor Menino wanted something a little fuzzier to announce the day after he proposed making clean needles available to drug users. Today we hear that he’s proposing to makeover Faneuil Hall (again), this time ousting the tourist shop merchants and putting in the National Park Service (which is currently housed in the Old […]
From the Times today comes a reminder that the culture wars cut both ways in politics. Tom DeLay is pushing for the conventioneers to be housed on a docked cruise ship instead of in local hotels, a move that has divided convention organizers:
“In an era of nonstop news and visuals, do you want the visual […]