http://www.vitalcenter.us need text here Thu, 19 Apr 2007 03:42:53 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Read Barack Obama’s latest speech about violence and the common good, and you’ll get another indication why this guy is moving so many ordinary Americans. http://www.vitalcenter.us/2007/04/18/echoes-of-bobby-kennedy/ I criticized MSNBC in the past for broadcasting incredibly lame, low-brow “documentaries” during MSNBC’ nightly “Doc-Block.” Instead of covering real issues of our time in these programs like the Iraq War or Social Security, MSNBC offers us an avalanche of prison documentaries. We get it already - prison sucks. Maybe, just ... http://www.vitalcenter.us/2007/01/17/news-flash-msnbc-broadcasts-a-real-documentary/ Nancy Pelosi got off to a rough start last week, but her strategy for passing ethics reform is brilliant. Pelosi and the House leadership plan on breaking up the ethics package into distinct pieces, and each piece will be introduced by incoming freshmne and debated seperately on the House floor. ... http://www.vitalcenter.us/2006/11/21/democrats-serious-about-ethics-reform/ After getting humiliated in the midterm elections, you would think that House Republicans might consider going with new leadership. Guess again. Minority whip Roy Blunt also issued a combative and obnoxious statement indicating that he and the other Republicans are not interested in bi-partisanship: “For twelve years, the Democrats have gotten away ... http://www.vitalcenter.us/2006/11/17/lame-gop-sticks-with-lame-leadership/ Newsweek’s Christpher Dickey has been one of the nest reporters covering the Iraq War from the beginning. If you read his columns, you knew that the chest-thumping and rosy scenarios coming from the Bush administration were not to be believed. As we look for an exit strategy from this mess, Dickey ... http://www.vitalcenter.us/2006/11/14/fighting-terrorists-as-we-leave-iraq/ Every once in a while, and election comes along that restores my faith in Democracy. Not simply because my candidate won, but because the more qualified and honorable candidate won. Jim Webb’s victory over George Allen is one of those elections. http://www.vitalcenter.us/2006/11/08/webb-declared-the-winner-in-virginia/ We’re starting to hear the pundits explain why the Democrats shouldn’t start holding hearings and issuing subpoenas. Idiots like Lanny Davis are making this case, arguing that the Democrats shouldn’t make the same mistake that the GOP made in the 90’s when they mercilessly investigated Bill Clinton. Certainly, there is potential ... http://www.vitalcenter.us/2006/11/08/the-question-of-hearings/ The Democrats will be working on serious reforms of the tax code, including a sensible compromise on the Estate Tax. http://www.vitalcenter.us/2006/11/08/dems-will-push-for-tax-reform/ Finally. Update: Former CIA director Robert Gates will take over as the new Defense Secretary. This might signal a willingness by Bush to listen to his father’s old advisors. Bush also cited the highly anticipated report from the Iraq Study Group chaired by James Baker and Lee Hamilton. http://www.vitalcenter.us/2006/11/08/donald-rumsfeld-has-resigned/ Last night on MSNBC, Pat Buchanon argued that the voters were rejecting the GOP but were supporting socially conservative ballot initiatives. It turns out he spoke to soon. Conservatives suffered significant defeats in South Dakota, Missouri and Arizona. In conservative South Dakota, the voters overwelmingly rejected a ban on all abortions ... http://www.vitalcenter.us/2006/11/08/ballot-initiatives-break-against-conservatives/