Politics 2016 Republican Debate #1

17 contestants gathered in the heart of Ohio to take part in the first official debate of the 2016 Presidential campaign. This first event included some controversy of its own. The oversized field was broken into two groups. The top 10 would take the stage in prime time on the Fox News Channel. The lower seven […]

Politics 2016 Republican Debate #1

Fox News host Sean Hannity has been under fire of late for his over-the-top support of embattled Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who grew quickly famous thanks to people like Hannity giving him a prime-time platform to spew his anti-American rhetoric. Most recently, he and The Daily Show‘s Jon Stewart have been sparring over this issue […]

Politics 2016 Republican Debate #1

One of the chief arguments against Obamacare is that the various plans are all-inclusive and, as a result, include coverage for conditions many subscribers won’t ever need. It could be Viagra for women or gynecologist visits for men. The theory is that this keeps the cost of individual plans high. Unfortunately, the argument doesn’t stand up to […]

Politics 2016 Republican Debate #1

With all the hype surrounding the many problems with healthcare.gov, few people are asking the truly critical question: once one has surpassed the temporary technical glitches, how is the Affordable Care Act actually working for the average American who is signing up for health insurance? Despite my firm advocacy for the Affordable Care Act since […]

Politics 2016 Republican Debate #1

David Catanese just listed Elizabeth Warren as the Democrats’ third most likely 2016 presidential nominee, behind front-runner and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden. Why? Woman? Check.  She’d allow progressives an out for feeling obligated to support Hillary for glass ceiling reasons. Oh, and she’s a real progressive but yet has […]

Politics 2016 Republican Debate #1

In This Town (the subtitle is Two Parties and a Funeral—Plus Plenty of Valet Parking!—In America’s Gilded Capital), Mark Leibovich, the chief national correspondent for The New York Times Magazine, writes a tell-all about the people he knows — politicians, journalists and lobbyists. It’s mostly a series of anecdotes, from a guy who has met a lot of […]

Politics 2016 Republican Debate #1

Over the past decade, Brazil has been the subject of little else but success stories in the international media. Never mind the beaches, beautiful women and carnaval; the stories coming out of the South American giant were of economic growth, millions leaving poverty to enter the middle-class and reduced inequality, which is why the mass […]

Politics 2016 Republican Debate #1

Rick Perry just announced that he will not seek a fourth full term as the Governor of Texas. However, he did hint that he may try to run for President again, promising to reveal “more expansive plans” at a later date. It’s worth looking at why his first effort was such a disaster. He had […]

Politics 2016 Republican Debate #1

The last few weeks have not been great for President Barack Obama. Steve Miller, Acting Commissioner of the IRS, resigned after it came out that the IRS applied greater scrutiny to Tea Party groups. When it turned out that he had been planning to resign anyway, the grand gesture suddenly seemed transparently phony. The media is […]

Politics 2016 Republican Debate #1

Two disgraced politicians from different sides of the political aisle are currently getting media attention for their comeback bids. Anthony Weiner, my one-time congressman, will decide within a few days whether he will run for mayor of New York City this year. Former Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina, a man Erick Erickson of Red State […]

Politics 2016 Republican Debate #1

Peter Hampsen of the New Hampshire House of Representatives used vaginas as shorthand for women in an email to colleagues. This news item has been picked up by Think Progress, The Political Wire, Mediaite, and New York magazine, which currently lists “N.H. Defends Vaginas’ Right to Bear Arms” as a top story. He hasn’t been the only […]