Category Archives: National news

Me, earlier today: I’m sure Judge Whittemore’s ruling won’t be the end of [the Terri Schiavo case], just as I’m sure that pre-ruling stories which proclaimed him fair and unbiased will be non-operative within the next hour or so. Senator … Continue reading → Continue reading →

You’d think a headline like the one just above would be pretty banal, but when dealing with the Terri Schiavo case, nothing has been normal. I’m sure Judge Whittemore’s ruling won’t be the end of it, just as I’m sure … Continue reading → Continue reading →

John DeLorean dies at age 80. John Z. DeLorean, an automotive innovator who left General Motors Corp. to develop a radically futuristic sports car only to see that venture crash spectacularly as he fought federal drug charges, has died of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I should have linked to Prescription for Change and the awesome animation/Lounge Lizards song when Scott first announced it, but as is sometimes the case, it got lost in my to-be-blogged pile. I’m glad to see that it’s been getting … Continue reading → Continue reading →

How can you tell it’s Sunshine Week? Just look at the pile of stories and editorials telling us about it. Here’s the Chron’s entry, which was the top result at the time of my search. Grits notes that Sens. John … Continue reading → Continue reading →

It’s the first ever National Sunshine Week this week. Opening a dialogue about the public’s right of access to government information is the focus of Sunshine Sunday and Sunshine Week: Your Right to Know, which kick off March 13, 2005 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Yesterday, AmericaBlog reported that a $25 million lawsuit had been filed against USANext for their misappropriation of the image of Richard M. Raymen and Steven P. Hansen (see here for more). Today, the judge granted their request for a temporary … Continue reading → Continue reading →

How cool is this? Senator Russ Feingold addresses the concerns of the netroots community regarding the recent statements of FEC Commissioner Brad Smith and the effects of the McCain/Feingold law on political blogging. That makes him the second sitting Senator … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Via Dwight Silverman, FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub has a message for us. Bloggers of America, chill. Reports of a Federal Election Commission plot to “crack down” on blogging and e-mail are wildly exaggerated. […] I can’t speak for my colleagues, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

MyDD prints a press release by Mark Glaze of Democracy 21, that emphatically states that FEC Commissioner Brad Smith’s claims about McCain/Feingold and blogs are incorrect. US Rep. John Conyers is circulating a letter to the FEC for signatures that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Will McCain/Feingold be the end of political blogging as we know it? FEC Commissioner Bradley Smith says yes. This guy says no. Me, I’m unsure. Any lawyers want to wade in here? Seems to me that the naysayer has a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Fantastic. Richard M. Raymen and Steven P. Hansen, the couple shown in the hateful anti-AARP ad run by USA Next has sent USA Next a cease and desist letter (PDF) regarding use of their images. Details here: “In 2004, our … Continue reading → Continue reading →

In the Everything Old Is New Again Department, we have the return of the buffalo nickel. Sixty-seven years after the government minted its last buffalo nickel, the symbol of the American West is returning to the 5-cent piece. The United … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Rep. Kevin Brady of The Woodlands and Rep. Jeb Hensarling of North Texas are finding out that selling Social Security privatization is harder than they thought. Check it out. Continue reading →

Hey, did you know that the AARP has a blog? That’s pretty cool, I think. Nice thing about blogs is that they allow one to respond rapidly to scurrilous attacks on oneself. Which they’re doing. Via Julia and The Stakeholder. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Call me crazy, but if you have to resort to this, I’d say you’re admitting that you can’t win the debate. Josh Marshall has the details. Continue reading →

I confess, I had not realized that there was an existing model for Social Security privatization right here in Texas. If the Chron ever wrote about it, I flat out missed it. I find it interesting that none of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

All I can say as the odious bankruptcy bill, also known as Everything The Financial Services Industry Ever Wanted In One Convenient Package, wends its way once again towards passage is that I hope no one currently reading this ever … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I’m sure you’ve been following all the twists and turns in the Social Security privatization personalization modernization transmogrification debate – Josh Marshall has certainly been a tireless resource. It seems we’ve reached a critical juncture: Lawmakers said a turning point … Continue reading → Continue reading →

From the Creative Revenue Streams Department: Lawmakers trying to plump up the bottom line are considering a “vanity tax” on cosmetic surgery and Botox injections in Washington, Illinois and other states. […] The tax would not apply to reconstructive surgery … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Via Atrios, this rather stunning bit of testimony from the Gonzales confirmation hearings. Asked by Sen. Patrick Leahy to describe “in detail” the only court appearance he ever made on behalf of Bush, Gonzales—who was then chief counsel to the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

If you really want to follow the Senate confirmation hearings of Alberto Gonzales for Attorney General as closely as possible, this blog will help. Continue reading →

Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress, has died at the age of 80. “She was our Moses that opened the Red Sea for us,” Robert E. Williams, president of the NAACP in Flagler County, told the Associated … Continue reading → Continue reading →

There’s not much I can really say about this Chron article on Tom DeLay. As sleazy and unprincipled as he is, he didn’t get where he is without being a damn good politician, and we’d do well to remember that. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

In case you’re wondering what overconfidence by the Republican-controlled Congress will look like, Denny Hastert’s refusal to bring the intelligence reform bill up for a vote because it can’t pass on Republican votes alone is a good place to start. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The Istook Amendment. Is this what those of you who supported Republican candidates in the election were voting for? How about the Presidential yacht? Somehow, I don’t recall that being a theme in the campaigns. It sure as hell isn’t … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Congress has passed the sales tax deduction bill, which should be signed into law shortly. Texans will be allowed to deduct state and local sales tax payments from their federal income taxes for the next two years under legislation approved … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Why, giant Presidential heads in a Zippy the Pinhead comic, that’s what. Many thanks to Rob for the catch. Continue reading →

Man. Has this been a crappy hurricane season or what? And it’s just September 15. To Mac and everyone else in the path of Ivan, please stay safe. Over here in Houston, where we’re waaaaaay overdue to get creamed by … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Take a look at this Chron editorial which criticizes the expiration of the assault weapons ban despite its overwhelming popularity in Texas and everywhere else, and tell me if you can spot what’s missing. Give up? Here’s a hint: Rep. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I find the case that the assault weapons ban is not good public policy to be a reasonably persuasive one. For the most part, I’m more concerned with measures to make it harder for felons to buy guns than with … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The captain of the Staten Island Ferry that crashed into a concrete pier and killed 11 passengers has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting that he was drugged up and completely derelict in his duty. The report mentions but goes into … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Eh. I got 5.5 questions right on the CJR News Quiz. More importantly, I got three of the five “substantive” questions right, so that’s cool. Check it out, it’s pretty good. Get eight more more, and you’re not only a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Economic conditions took turn for worse, Fed says The Federal Reserve found that economic conditions around the country worsened in June and early July, while the Commerce Department said orders for big-ticket manufactured goods managed only a 0.7 percent rise … Continue reading → Continue reading →