The narrowing and possible elimination of Martha Coakley’s lead in even Democratic polls shows that the discontent felt by bread-and-butter voters is real. While the jobless rate is holding at ten percent nationally, indications are that this is due to more would-be laborers giving up on trying to find work rather than on anything the [...]
Posts under ‘Health Care’
The Massachusetts Special Election Could Define the 2010 Cycle.
There has been and will continue to be much discussion regarding the surprise retirements of Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND) announced on Tuesday this week. Certainly, these retirements could completely reshape the Senate contests later this year in those two states. In the near term, however, the attention of Republicans should be on Massachusetts, where a [...]
Things learned in the debate over health care reform
With some form of health care reform poised to be enacted following the passage of a trillion-dollar, pork-filled boondoggle in the U.S. Senate on Christmas Eve, reflection on the course of this policy debate and its broader implication for the trajectory of the Obama administration seem warranted. Whatever results in the coming months on the issue of [...]
Petty Politicking Plagues Progress
Recent polling has found that a majority of Americans feel that the country is too politically divided. No, this does not mean that the American people feel that fifty states are too many, or that counties, cities, parishes, and boroughs should be dissolved across the board. Rather, the concern is that there is too much [...]
Stupak Amendment Controversy Demonstrates Emptiness of Democratic Rhetoric.
It has now been more than a week since the U.S. House of Representatives passed sweeping health care reform legislation. Yet, with what has been written about the bill since that time, one might think it was still being debated. Though there are many faults in the legislation, one issue therein seems to be sustaining [...]
Obama and International Perception
Oct 20th, 2009
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On the heels of my last blog based on a Facebook conversation I had with a friend, I received this message from a high-school friend who is now living in Brazil- Hey brad, I have just seen your protesting Obama pictures. I wanna ask you something… here in Brazil, we get the news that America [...]
The Healthcare Debate, Simplified.
Oct 2nd, 2009
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Recently I received a Facebook message from a friend I hadn’t heard from in a while, which started off with “you have to be the most vocal person on my friend list about all things politics.” Intrigued, I read on. My friend was concerned about the healthcare crisis, and he had a problem I’ve found [...]
On Conduct and Coverage
Brad Tidwell today offers a thoughtful rebuttal to my September 17th post Joe Wilson, 9/12, and the GOP Image Problem. In that response, my conservative colleague correctly observes that conservatives face a built-in uphill battle on the media front. He further reminds readers that Joe Wilson’s outburst was not exactly incorrect on its merits. On these two [...]
Joe Wilson, 9/12, and the GOP Image Problem
Two weeks ago, the name Joe Wilson would have been associated with the former U.S. ambassador to Niger whose name entered the public consciousness during the Valerie Plame Affair. Few outside of South Carolina had even heard of the member of Congress censured Wednesday over his comment a week earlier during President Obama’s most recent [...]
A Season to Watch?
As the Fall season for American television gets underway this month, considerations with respect to possible new shows should be made. Indeed, debuting shows often end up cancelled, and the networks concerned then require alternative programming to fill the gap in their programming lineup. Thus, projects not previously embraced are able to then receive the [...]