DNC chairman Tim Kaine has already kicked off the Democrats' campaign for the midterm elections, but the party is widely predicted to lose their majority in the House and Senate.
National Review: Doom For Democrats
()Some Democrats seen to be in danger in their districts have run ads criticizing President Obama. Commentator Michael Barone of the National Review argues that Democrats know they are doomed in the midterm elections, and are doing everything they can to lessen a crushing defeat.
Sweetness And Light
Football Fans Ignore Increasing Violence()
September 8, 2010 To commentator Frank Deford, football provides us with nostalgia for the way war used to be -- with clear battle maps, focused campaigns and simple battle lines.
The Nation: No More Rahm In The White House?()
September 8, 2010 There is some speculation that White House Chief Of Staff Rahm Emanuel will quit his job to run for Mayor of Chicago. That can't come soon enough for Ari Berman of The Nation, who argues that Emmanuel has been a hindrance to the President's legislative agenda.
Foreign Policy: Algae Fuel Sparks Excitement()
September 8, 2010 Scientist Craig Venter is on his way to creating the first synthetic fuel made of algae, a science that has been touted as the "new industrial revolution." But Steve Levine of Foreign Policy argues that we are still a long way from this kind of breakthrough.
National Review: 'Targeted' Stimulus Has Bad Aim()
September 8, 2010 President Obama's new round of stimulus spending is intended to grow our infrastructure by using tax credits "targeted" to small business owners. But the editors of the National Review argue that temporary and targeted tax relief is not enough to sustain the economy. Real growth will only come with real reform.
The Nation: The Summer Of Our Sporting Discontent()
September 8, 2010 This summer saw confluence of great events in the world of sports: the World Cup, the free agency of Lebron James and Dwyane Wade. But Dave Zirin of The Nation argues that the intrusion of politics into the sporting community has changed the way that fans act-- sometimes for better, and other times for worse.
The New Republic: Word Games Of The Collapse()
September 8, 2010 Economists have been calling the state of our economy a "recession." "Not so," argues John B. Judis of The New Republic. We are in a "depression," and those terms have real-life consequences.
Commentary
Maybe We All Need Some 'Sensitivity' Training()
September 7, 2010 Linguist Geoff Nunberg says the word "sensitive" was complicated long before it was political. These days, "sensitivities" can be a stand-in for a lot of different attitudes -- some more defensible than others. Our modern stress on sensitivities, he says, probably set back cultural understanding as much as it has advanced it.
Watching Washington
Voters To The Parties: It’s A Date, Not A Marriage()
September 7, 2010 Every time power shifts between the major parties in Washington, pundits and prognosticators say there's been a sea change. But in truth, voters can and often do change their minds quickly about who should be in charge.
Foreign Policy: Holding Rwanda Accountable()
September 7, 2010 A recent UN report on the Rwandan genocide exposes that country's President Kagame for using his country's suffering as a screen to hide behind while he allies with Western Powers. James Traub of Foreign Policy argues that although Rwanda is an important ally to the US, they must still be held accountable for their actions in the 1990s.
The New Republic: Nostalgia For Unions()
September 7, 2010 This Labor Day was a bittersweet moment. While the holiday is a cause for celebration, the high unemployment makes it hard to get into the spirit. E. J. Dionne of The New Republic argues that in honor of Labor day, we should remember that although unions have not always been perfect, they stand to remind us of the dignity of those who toil.
The Root: No Aid For Black Farmers()
September 7, 2010 Black farmers in Arkansas are still waiting for money from a USDA discrimination settlement to be distributed. Frank McCoy of The Root argues that in this election year, Arkansas politicians are more concerned with the votes of white farmers than with the survival of black farmers.
National Review: Big Labor's Power Grab()
September 7, 2010 With the "card-check" provision stalled in congress, union leaders have been forced to wait on the sidelines, hoping that President Obama's new appointee to the National Labor Relations Board will help them push their agenda in the coming months. But Mark Mix of the National Review argues that if the White House was really fair to employees, it would enable them to vote out unwanted unions
