Posts Tagged ‘republicans’

The Petraeus Dilemma.

The resignation of four-star General Stanley McChrystal from command of U.S. forces in Afghanistan came Wednesday after fallout from an interview appearing in Rolling Stone. McChrystal, whose involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan has earned him praise in the past, used the magazine interview as an avenue to offer criticisms of the Obama administration. The White House was quick [...]

On Seeking Civility

Something which ought to be a given in contemporary American political discourse is that violence, or the threat of violence, against those with whom one disagrees is unacceptable. Just as the free market is essential to the improvement of goods and services in commerce, a free market of ideas is crucial to the shaping of [...]

The Copenhagen Climate Conundrum

As world leaders start to assemble this week in the capital city of Denmark, discourse on the topic of climate change and the public policy implications thereof have increased. Complicating matters, however, was the revelation in recent weeks that one organization researching anthropogenic global warming was suppressing research running contrary to their claims. Good science [...]

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 [...]

Observations Regarding the Recent Japanese Election

The August 30 elections in Japan share many parallels with those held in the United States last November. In both instances, an unpopular ruling party was removed from power. Such parallels are interesting, even when one considers the inherent differences in the political systems of the two economic powers on either side of the Pacific [...]

Beware the Audacity of Dopes

While the President of the United States suspended his national tour for a publicity stunt Thursday, Congressional committees continued considerations of costly health care proposals. For the moment, it seems that four so-called “moderates” on the House Energy and Commerce Committee are set to approve of Henry Waxman’s latest state empowerment scheme that few have [...]

My Healthcare Story or: How I Learned to Fear the Public Option

Unfortunately, I’ve been far too quiet around these parts for the past month.  The biggest reason for this is that I have been struggling on a daily basis with a so far undiagnosed illness.  Long story short, I have been in constant pain throughout my abdomen — so bad that I have incredible trouble sleeping, [...]

Health Care Policy Discussions Should Be Expanded

The discussion of health care reform has grown in recent weeks across various segments of American society. Debate is underway in Congress as bloggers reveal themselves to be an incubator for ideas, unlike the Republican Party bureaucracy. Fellow NextGenGOP contributor Gideon D’Assandro has offered valuable insights into this topic. Other collaborative political blogs (such as The Next Right [...]

British Scandal Offers Sobering Perspective on the Future

The British have an election campaign coming up, though no firm date seems yet set. Right now, the Prime Minister is quite unpopular, and Parliament is embroiled in a scandal. Some have anticipated an easy win for the opposition Conservative Party in the election once it happens. However, as more details of this scandal come [...]

The “Far Right,” The Filibuster-Proof Majority, and Young Voters

Over at left-of-center Mother Jones magazine, Jonathan Stein and Nick Baumann argue that “the far right handed Dems a 60-vote majority.” Stein and Baumann continue: The Republican Party has moved dramatically rightward in the age of Obama, and allowed people like Newt Gingrich, Dick Cheney, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Sarah Palin to become its [...]