I could write volumes about patriotism this July 4th. How many column inches in the last few weeks has been devoted to whether or not Barack Obama is patriotic enough, if a war record is on or off limits, and what the love of country truly means. Is anyone in...
Anne-Marie Slaughter | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
Patriotism is not "my country right or wrong." In the words of the great German-American Civil War General, Republican Senator, Secretary of the Interior, journalist, editor and author Carl Schurz, it is: "Our country, right or wrong." When right to be kept right; when wrong to be put right." Another...
Paul Slansky | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
In Dr. Seuss's The Sneetches, there were two kinds of these odd beach-dwelling creatures -- those with stars on their bellies and those without. The ones with the stars saw themselves as inherently superior:
When the Star-Belly Sneetches had frankfurter roasts
Or picnics or parties or marshmallow...
Katrina vanden Heuvel | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
This July 4, lets put election reform on the agenda.
Are you a pro-democracy patriot? I am. Like millions of Americans, I experienced a surge of hope after the most nationally inclusive race for a presidential nomination in US history. It was that hope -- a sense that the...
David Shneer | Posted July 3, 2008 | Living
Twelve years ago, on June 23, 1996, my husband (sic) and I got married under a Jewish wedding canopy, known as a huppah, surrounded by 120 friends and family in the hills above Berkeley, California. It was a perfect day of singing, celebration, and in quintessential California fashion, organic food...
John McQuaid | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
Colombia's audacious rescue of hostages held by the FARC, including American contractors Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell, adds an extra bang to the July 4 holiday. But we shouldn't forget the alarming backstory leading up to their captivity, which reveals a lot about the failings of...
Art Levine | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
The conventional wisdom these days is that General Wesley Clark's raising questions about John McCain's fitness to be commander in chief causes political problems for Barack Obama. That's considered to be especially important now that Obama is seen as moving to the center for the general election, and...
Justin Frank | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
What follows is the seventh post for the interactive book, Politics on the Couch. Readers' comments are welcome and an integral part of this experiment.
July 4th 2008 -- It's the truth that set us free
As we celebrate Independence Day, we acknowledge that the only way to become truly...
Simon Jenkins | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
Economic sanctions are coward's war. They do not work but are a way in which rich elites feel they are "committed" to some distant struggle". As a form of aggression they enjoy lasting appeal to politicians because they cost them nothing and are rhetorically macho. They embody the spirit...
Barack Obama | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
Today, Barack Obama posted a message to supporters on my.barackobama.com about the FISA legislation.
I want to take this opportunity to speak directly to those of you who oppose my decision to support the FISA compromise.
This was not an easy call for me. I know that the...
Robert Naiman | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
As we prepare to celebrate the anniversary of our Declaration of Independence from the jackboot of British imperialism, consider a phrase in the Declaration that should surely vex some purported American patriots today: "a decent respect for the opinions of mankind."
The text seems to indicate that the signers...
Paul Helmke | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
In the aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling on the Second Amendment, it's been my hope that it might be easier to find some common ground on steps to help reduce gun violence in this country now that the extremes of the gun control debate (gun confiscation on the one...
Russell Simmons | Posted July 3, 2008 | Living
A little over a year ago, I met a very sweet and beautiful girl in Atlanta at a party for my book, Do You!. We talked at length about our vegan diets and common interest in yoga. She too was feeling the shift that is happening in America right now...
Laura Flanders | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
It reads like a Hollywood script--Colombian commandos descend into the jungle and exit with 15 hostages, including a former Colombian presidential candidate and three American Pentagon contractors who'd been held by anti-government guerillas. The hostages had been held for six long years. What a long time and what a relief.
...Matt Littman | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
Happy Independence Day, John McCain! I hope you get this message down in Mexico. Senator McCain has been traveling for the last few days, and upon his return north, to the United States, he will find that his campaign is still headed south.
Judging by the polls, the more...
David Wild | Posted July 3, 2008 | Entertainment
Last night my wife and I were debating whether to order tickets to see Hancock with the kids this weekend -- as we sat down together to watch a rented copy of Adam Carolla's movie The Hammer. We decided to invite our two sons who are eight and ten and...
Charles Warner | Posted July 3, 2008 | Media
As reported by Broadcasting & Cable, last week Barack Obama's press secretary, Michael Ortiz, said in response to the trade magazine's inquiry "Sen. Obama does not support reimposing the Fairness Doctrine on broadcasters."
The Fairness Doctrine issue bubbled up recently after reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was thinking...
Laura Carlsen | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics
Reposted from Foreign Policy In Focus
When peasant farmers in Cacahuatepec set out to work in their fields in January 2003 they found heavy equipment bulldozing down the corn, fruit trees, and fences they depend on for survival. The indigenous Nahuatl communities of this region in the mountains above...
Stephanie Losee | Posted July 3, 2008 | Business
As the hours tick by while interested observers of the XM/Sirius digital radio merger await word on final approval by the FCC, it may be worthwhile to wonder how in the heck we even got here. We're holding our collective breath, but aren't we supposed to be laughing?
The merger...
"What is freaky to me is the media and Hollywood is so convinced that...
** UPDATE BELOW: OBAMA CAMPAIGN REJECTS AP REPORT ** CHICAGO — Reaching out...
ASPEN - I took part in an interesting panel last night at the...
The knives sure are out for retired Gen. Wesley Clark. In case...
Today, Barack Obama posted a message to supporters on my.barackobama.com about the...
It's over. It's mathematically impossible for...
** UPDATE BELOW ** Despite heavy criticism, Gen. Wesley Clark is standing by his statement...
Just in case the revelation that American torturers took their cues from...
HAPPY CANADA DAY!! July 1 is the country's national holiday. As...
SEATTLE — Starbucks Corp. has announced it's closing 600 underperforming stores in the...
Dear Christine, I...
Where are the state campaign...
Charles Karel Bouley | Posted July 3, 2008 | Politics