Would more troops have helped secure victory in Iraq in 2003, 2004, 2005, and/or now?
The reason I ask is that a growing number of military minds and analysts seem to think that we went into Iraq with too few troops but the Administration argues that troop levels were and are sufficient. To me, the […]

The New York Times is reporting that up to 100,000 Iraqi families have been displaced due to violence. Two weeks ago, I posted on Juan Cole’s reporting of the number of displaced Iraqis at 65,000 individuals, not families. This estimate is much, much, much higher.
A new estimate by one of Iraq’s vice presidents has put […]

If you’ll forgive a little home-state blogging report, I have some news about the race for governor of California.
The California Democratic Party has endorsed Treasurer Phil Angelides over State Controller Steve Westly. While this is not surprising given that Feinstein, Boxer, and Pelosi all co-chair the Angelides campaign and that Angelides himself is a […]

On a day that my fellow blogger successfully exercised his First Amendment right to free assembly, I think it is ironic that I am moved to discuss the precarious position of one of our other so-protected rights, that of the press:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise […]

The Washington Post is reporting that Wilkes, Wade, and a limo company would provide Cunningham and other pols with prostitutes in exchange for federal contracts. This link is exactly what makes the case relevant, not the fact the Republican moralizers were sleeping with hookers outside of their marriages. As I said yesterday, what we need […]

I don’t know that I’ve ever apologized for supporting the Iraq war. I wasn’t blogging yet in the spring of 2003, so I don’t have any posts endorsing the removal of Saddam and the end of the threat I thought Iraqi WMDs posed to the US. Maybe it’s the fact that I wasn’t a blogger […]

United for Peace and Justice has organized a march for peace, justice, and democracy in New York City. My parents are coming in on a commuter train that people have fully rented out to go to the march (600 Connecticuters right there). I’m on my way out the door now to join in. If you’re […]

Five Democratic Congressmen were arrested as part of civil disobedience at the Sudanese embassy today. Their arrests were part of a direction action protesting the genocide in Darfur. No Republicans were arrested. PoliticsTV has the video (Quicktime pop-up here).
The lawmakers — Reps. Tom Lantos of California, Jim McGovern and John Olver of Massachusetts, Jim Moran, […]

I think scandals are lacking these days. Scandals in the Bush administration just don’t have the same pop as those we suffered through during the Clinton years. Sure, there’s been plenty of scandal, but how much of it has made it onto Page Six and E! Hollywood Story? Not much. And really, how can we […]

I’ve only read it scores of times so I may be mistaken, but I was under the understanding that the Constitution created a three-branch system of government complete with checks and balances. Sure, when it comes to political agendas it may be easier if one branch (ahem, Congress) rolls over for another one, but […]