The State of the Union

forced minimum wage hike to $15 an hour.How is that working for everybody in the wet, damp Northwestern Metropolis? A self-righteous, self-promoting socialist sits on the Seattle City Council, and she led the drive with her city colleagues to force the minimum…

The Huffington Post, and the agenda he presses should alarm anyone, even the most ardent of liberal activists:Gay People Are Gods: Protecting LGBT Communities Is a Divine Right’Wow! So, where would Harvey Milk fit in this rainbow pantheon? A martyr to the cause,…

Speaker Gordon Fox tumbled: Who’s Next? Unconfirmed reports are swirling around Rhode Island thatwith following former Speaker Fox’s fallout, another domino will fall. Who’s next on the corruption chopping block? RI Governor Gina Raimondo?…

Condoleezza RiceCondoleezza RiceA black conservative movement is petitioning for Condoleezza Rice to reconsider and run for US Senate.She is not running. I hate admitting it, but I have learned to treat serious statesmen (and women) with utmost respect, and take their…

US Senator Barbara Boxer“A baby’s a baby when the baby is born.”“I thank God these people were not in charge of Congress when I was growing up or else they might have deported my mother” — US Senator Barbara BoxerAn inconsequential…

Walker Reforms UW SystemIn his 2015-2017 budget, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker offers more autonomy to the University of Wisconsin system, in exchange for less funding from the state. Reminding critics that the state systems receives federal and other government…

Dear MoveOn member, The effort to convince Elizabeth Warren to run for president is gaining steam. Last weekend people gathered in over 220 house parties to talk about how they can further the effort locally. And the media have begun to recognize this campaign as a…

David Cicilline (D-RI)Congressman David Cicilline (D-Rhode Island) is no stranger to big spending in politics. The state capital and largest city, Providence, Rhode Island, struggled under massive structural debt and deficits during the greater part of his tenure as…

BedJet display (Mark Aramli on the Left (from BedJet. com)Of the few TV shows I still take time to watch, ABC’s “Shark Tank” is the most informative and grueling. In the weekly high stakes drama, real people put themselves and their best ideas on the…

when she took over the US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee from conservative Republican James Inhofe. CNN reported that the hearing was a “heated exchange” over former US Senator Al Gore’s statements on global warming. Senator…

Gov. Brown’s fourth inaugural address shows promise, peril: Guest commentary By David Hadley Posted: 01/07/15, 8:39 AM PST | 3 Comments As a newly elected assemblyman representing the South Bay, I had the opportunity on Monday to attend Gov. Jerry Brown’s…

@FrankLautenberg He’s also dead. He passed away in 2013. What is it with Senator Boxer and dead people?@MarkUdall The former US Senator from Colorado, just defeated last year by Republican Congressman Cory Gardner. Not very impressive. No wonder Boxer is…

John McLaughlinIn the January 9th, 2015 episode of the McLaughlin Group, host John McLaughlin speculated on Jeb Bush’s chances of winning the President in 2016. MCLAUGHLIN (voice-over): Jeb Bush has formed a presidential exploratory committee and he’s…

US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)First of all, I am glad that Tea Party supporters (including myself) are not calling Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his caucus sellouts or failures because they are working with Democrats. Why should anyone shame them? They are…

Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI)House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) announcedhis disinclination to running for President in 2016. As I had written four years ago, Ryan is doing the right thing. As a failed Vice Presidential candidate in from 2012, Ryan…

“Issue One! Issue Two! Issue Three!”Taking a foreign policy turn, the 12-19-2014 episode of the McLaughlin Group touched on three distinct developments, all of which connected to foreign relations. Because the Republicans have not officially taken over the…

US Senator Ted CruzUS Senator Ted Cruz’ tactic to force a vote on Homeland Security funding did not go as planned:But the strategy backfired: Not only did Congress clear the $1.1-trillion spending bill without restrictions on immigration policy, but Democrats…

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CaliforniaThe CIA report, released by liberal US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) criticized the agency of Enhanced Interrogation Techniques which apparently did not work. It shows that the CIA’s actions a decade ago are a stain on our…

Gina Raimondo (D-Rhode Island) Nearly two months later, I am still broken up about CranstonMayor Allan Fung’s loss. He was not a bad candidate (although the Blockheadcommercial was a bad move). In comparison, Raimondo was no better, since sheran against her…

on my extended take on the last-minute CRomnibus bill which passed in the US Senate on December 13.Claude TodoroffIt was business as usual for the Congress. Waiting until the last second to pass a bill and one so big that nobody knows what’s in it. Most of…

Atheist Christmas Display in Smith Hill State House On a December 4th post, Chippendale’s comments includedthe following: So I was in theStatehouse this week to assist with the Freshman orientation for the incominglegislators. While there I took some time to…

Wisconsin Governor Scott WalkerWisconsin Governor Scott Walker has emboldenedconservatives, enabled businesses, and relieved taxpayers and families lookingto make ends meet as well as improve their economic situation. After winningthree statewide elections in four…

Flash Report for the last two years.I agree with a great deal of his conservative politics, and I share his frustration with the Republican National Congressional Committee missing out on nine opportunities for unseating incumbent Democrats in swing districts. They…

the McLaughlin Group hosts a discussion of best and worst categories, similar to the Academy Awards, but with a focus on politics, culture, and world events. If I were on the show for the last week of Year 2014, these would be my Year End Awards:Destined for Political…

The McLaughlin Group. Eleanor CliftHow she can stand by he assessment of President Obama’s extralegal lawlessness renders not just a marginal voice on the program, but regrettable if not laughable. On the November 21, 2014 edition of the program, Clift bent over…