Jeff Smith on The Bush Dynasty
Jeff Smith -- who I got to know at the poker table in his days as a Missouri state senator and is now an assistant professor of politics and advocacy at The New School -- has written a fascinating piece about the Bush Dynasty and its evolution. With Jeb Bush...
Political Math
Gas at $1.94/gallon (lowest in years) + Dow over 18,000 (for first time) + Economy grew 5% last quarter (best in a decade) = Goddamn Obama!
The Cuban Connection
As President Obama announces intentions to normalize relations with Cuba, I say it's about time. Here's what I wrote on the subject two years ago: The ban can be traced directly to Little Havana, the Miami neighborhood that's full of Cuban ex-patriots. I think there...
The Torture Report
The release of the Senate Intelligence Committee's report on CIA torture reminded me of a fascinating guest from six years ago. When I posted the audio of that conversation, I wrote: In the debate over using torture in interrogating detainees in Iraq and at...
Infrastructure Idiocy
On Sunday, "60 Minutes" ran this piece about how America's infrastructure is falling apart, and no one in Congress (or the White House) has the political will to do something about it. The problem is that fixing all the bridges that are on the verge of falling, all...
The Virus With No Cure
The graphic on "Good Morning America" read "Ebola-Free America," now that Dr. Craig Spencer no longer has the virus in his system and has been cleared. But I wonder if anyone in the media -- or politicians like Chris Christie, Rick Perry, and Bill DeBlasio -- has...
Mr. Perspective On The Midterms
Once again I put on the hat of my alter ego, Mr. Perspective, to offer some things you may not know about yesterday's election: Much is being made of the Democrats losing seven seats in the Senate, with pundits calling it a referendum on how unpopular President Obama...
Here’s To You, Democracy!
First, a quick plug: my brother Seth (former Deputy Secretary of Labor) has the best analysis of today's election you'll read anywhere, even before the votes are counted. As for my analysis... Most Americans are thrilled when election day finally arrives. Not because...