Posted By: Michael Sweeney
Nov. 23, 2009
Tyler and I discussed this topic pretty deeply and long on today’s radio show…inspired (at least in part) by the "And, in the News…" e-mail issue I sent out to my subscribers earlier today. (The twice-weekly newsletter is completely FREE…AND your e-mail address is NEVER revealed or used for any other purpose; contact me at m_l_sweeney@hotmail.com to begin receiving these issues – hey, I’m already up to issue #199!)
…So – why is the "Blue" state vs. "Red" state divide so deep (and particularly thorny) in the US right now? And where will all of this schismatic separation likely lead us? I think it’s a very complicated, multiple-variable division…and it looks fairly hard to bind or solve anytime in the near future. After our on-air conversation on this subject today, I realize that Tyler has also thought about this subject…and that he has identified one of the contributing factors I chose as his believed primary cause of this current condition afflicting our country. I strongly hope that he expands upon this and explains his theory of the ever-widening "Blue" / "Red" philosophical gulf in a subsequent post out here – or perhaps even in a reply comment to this piece (which would be posted below)…
Continue reading "“Red” vs. “Blue” – How Did the US Get to This Point (and Where Do We Go From Here)? " »
Posted By: Michael Sweeney
Nov. 17, 2009
With the Sarah Palin book hitting bookstores today, I thought I’d share my subscription-e-mail column – from the free "And, in the News…" updates I send out twice a week – on the topic from Monday. So, it is included below…and, FYI, another couple of good, appropriate, and variously analytical pieces on the media blur of Miss Wasilla and her pretend-authored book are one by Max Blumenthal on The Nation Magazine’s website and The Atlantic’s Andrew Sullivan (the gay neo-con who experienced an Obama awakening – and was quite the Palin critic – in ’08) live-blogging his reactions, rebuttals, and disputing of basic truths during Palin’s appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Some good stuff...
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And, in the News...#197
November 16, 2009
Political Soap Box: First, "My Pet Goat," Now "Going Rogue" -- Uh, Republicans Don't Seem to Have Much Luck With Books, Do They?
Even though the piece-of-crap, rewriting-history, quickie book Sarah Palin agreed to claim she wrote -- the idiotically-titled "Going Rogue" (I mean, what does she think she is, some sort of freakin' conservative pirate?) -- has not officially hit bookstore shelves yet (it is due out widely [today]), plenty of political insiders have grabbed their early copies of it and are lashing out at its contents AND the alleged author, the former Miss Wasilla and early-quitting previous Governor of the so-so State of Alaska...
Continue reading "Sarah Palin WROTE a Book? We Doubt That She Actually Even READ It… " »
Gov. Quinn, Dem Opponent Hynes, GOPer McKenna Already Advertising
Plus, 4 Trends and 1 Fact That Will Likely Help Determine This Election’s Winner
Posted By: Michael Sweeney
Nov. 10, 2009
My brief discussion about this – via phone – with Tyler on Monday’s radio show reminded me that, with all the other things that have been going on lately, I perhaps haven’t covered this topic very much out here recently…(and, BTW, thanks to TR for doing almost all of the – unexpected; previously-unscheduled – on-air show solo this time around while I attended to an annoyingly delayed medical appointment). But, the Illinois 2010 election season is currently well underway, with – most notably – television ads already running (starting more than a year before the general election) for three of the most prominent of the candidates running to be IL Governor.
Now, it has not been a complete fog of lack of info on these guys out here – we’ve already covered (multiple times, in the case of the two Dems) these three gentlemen previously on TSR…but here’s a bit deeper look at the overall race. And who are those three likely-leading candidates? Current Gov. Pat Quinn (the Democrat who succeeded the nearly-infinitely corrupt (and distant from him) Rod Blagojevich back in January); his Dem primary challenger, state Comptroller Dan Hynes; and the perhaps-leading Republican (among about a half-dozen elephant candidates), businessman – and former state GOP Chairman – Andy McKenna.
Continue reading "A Deeper Look Ahead at the 2010 Illinois Governor’s Election" »
Round 1 Done on US Healthcare Reform as Sweeping Bill Wins in House of Representatives
Tougher Senate Battle Looms Ahead
Posted By: Michael Sweeney
Nov. 8, 2009
Yesterday – Saturday – was just such a pluperfectly beautiful day here in the Capital of the Middle of America: High 60s, sunny, calm. It was – somewhat appropriately, as it would turn out – much like that unexpectedly gorgeous and mildly unseasonable November night we enjoyed here a little more than a year ago…very similar to Election Night ’08, when we gloriously gathered in Grant Park to celebrate history together. Eh, who knew that "Indian Summer" could wait around and not bother to show up until AFTER Halloween and Election Day (and knocking on the door of Veteran’s Day)?
I spent my late afternoon enjoying some Starbucks iced coffee (a valuable tip: register a Starbucks card with them online and put some cash or credit on it, and things like soy and syrup upgrades are free – as are as many brewed hot or iced refills you would like in the same lingering café visit…some nice, potential cha-ching! savings there), listening to some music pumping into my head, and lazily – if happily and looking-forward-ly – drafting a short piece for here about the looming-for-a-vote Healthcare Reform bill, which was expected to be decided on in the US House of Representatives within a few days.
Continue reading "IT PASSES!!! " »
Posted By: Michael Sweeney
Nov. 3, 2009
Just a quick (well, kinda quick, anyway – it ended up expanding) piece on this off-off-Election Day, summing up the three most interesting races to watch today…
As Tyler and I covered fairly extensively on the radio show yesterday, it looks like the Republican Bob McDonnell will (fairly easily) win as VA Governor…NJ Governor Jon Corzine – after starting off in a fairly deep, unpopular hole – may well pull off a close comeback win over challenger Chris Christie…and, in the most fascinating, potentially-far-reaching election today – ironically, since it is a "mere" local race – no matter WHO wins in the NY 23rd District special election, it may signal an important victory (with perhaps ongoing national repercussions) for Democrats…A little more on each of these below...
Continue reading "Election Day Update – 3 Races to Watch (Plus, Predictions!) (UPDATED 11-04, With Results)" »
