By Steve Holland – CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) – Before Donald Trump’s put-downs and the stumbles in presidential debates, and before the profound frustration of voters became so unmistakably apparent, Jeb Bush appeared to be best positioned to win back the White House for Republicans in 2016. He amassed a $150 million war chest in 2015,…
South Carolina Could Be the End of the Road for Jeb Bush
By Eugene Robinson – The South Carolina Republican primary may well be Jeb Bush’s last stand. He described the situation — polls show him trailing badly, following weak performances in Iowa and New Hampshire — in typical Bushian syntax: “It’s all been decided, apparently,” he harrumphed this week in Summerville, a town near Charleston. “The…
The Day the Republican Party Died
By Robert Reich – I’m writing to you today to announce the death of the Republican Party. It is no longer a living, vital, animate organization. It died in 2016. RIP. It has been replaced by warring tribes: Evangelicals opposed to abortion, gay marriage, and science. Libertarians opposed to any government constraint on private behavior.…
Federal Judge Blocks Use of BP Restoration Money for Gulf State Park Lodge and Conference Center
By Glynn Wilson – MOBILE, Ala. — A federal judge here ruled against the state of Alabama and for the Gulf Restoration Network on Tuesday and blocked the use of early BP restoration funds for the construction of a lodge and conference center on the Gulf State Park beach in Gulf Shores. U.S. District Judge…
Earth’s Climate May Benefit From Justice Scalia’s Death
By Glynn Wilson – The death of conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, 79, may be the best thing to happen for the future of the planet than anything since the national Sierra Club and 350.org convinced President Obama to take on climate change due to global warming from the burning of fossil fuels…
Mobile Democrats React to Bernie Sanders vs. Hillary Clinton Debate
Alabama Democrats react to the Bernie Sanders vs. Hillary Clinton PBS televised debate on Feb. 10, 2016. Watch the video here:
The American Left Should Listen to Bernie Sanders, Noam Chomsky, Not Chris Hedges
The Big Picture – By Glynn Wilson – The political left in America is being misled by a Presbyterian minister named Chris Hedges, who writes for the leftist blog Truthdig. In a column published on Valentines Day, this self-described socialist attacks Vermont Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Why? Because Sanders had the gall to…
Karl Popper on Democracy: The Open Society and its Enemies Revisited
Editor’s Note: In 1988 The Economist invited the philosopher Karl Popper to write an article on democracy. It appeared in the issue of April 23rd that year and made the case for a two-party system. As America’s presidential race begins, we are republishing it, below. The first book in English by Professor Sir Karl Popper…
Conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Scalia Found Dead in West Texas Luxury Resort
By Glynn Wilson – Conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, 79, was found dead while visiting a luxury resort in West Texas, according to the San Antonio News-Express. The death was confirmed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, according to Reuters, who issued a statement sending his “deepest condolences” to Scalia’s family. The U.S. Marshal’s…
Why Would Congressman and Civil Rights Icon John Lewis Lie for Hillary Clinton and Dis Bernie Sanders?
By Glynn Wilson – Why would Congressman and Civil Rights Icon John Lewis of Georgia lie and taint his own reputation and legacy just to help Hillary Clinton beat progressive Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Primary race for President? At a press conference announcing the Congressional Black Caucus PAC’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton, Lewis told…
Oregon Occupiers Set to Face Federal Conspiracy Charges
By Glynn Wilson – PORTLAND, Ore. – Nine additional individuals have been charged by federal indictment and seven were arrested Friday in connection with the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Burns, Oregon. The defendants are scheduled to make appearances in federal court in six states over the next couple of days, according…
Michael Moore Says His New Movie ‘Where to Invade Next’ Will Change America
Filmmaker Michael Moore is launching the national release of his new documentary “Where to Invade Next” on Friday, which is said to be both his happiest and “most subversive” movie yet. In the film, Moore travels to countries throughout Europe and also Tunisia to “pry loose from them the tools they’ve been using to make…
President Obama Proposes Boost in Funding for National Parks on 100th Anniversary
WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Barack Obama released his proposed federal budget for fiscal year 2017 on Tuesday, calling for significant increases in funding for the National Park Service as the agency celebrates its centennial year. “The president’s proposed budget, which significantly increases funding for national parks, further shows the president’s commitment to protecting and restoring…
Climate Scientists Issue Dramatic Statement on What Earth Will Look Like in 10,000 Years
By Glynn Wilson – A significant group of climate scientists issued a dramatic editorial statement in the journal Nature Climate Change this week on the effects of human induced global warming from the burning of fossil fuels. They make the argument that we are making a mistake to only think about the effects of global…
How Can Democracy Survive When the Legal Profession is So Despised by the Public?
âThe first thing we do, letâs kill all the lawyers.â â William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 2 – The Big Picture – By Glynn Wilson – MOBILE, Ala. â Itâs Joe Cain Day, the Sunday before Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras Day, when some people on the Gulf Coast feast before some Christians observe a…
On the Eve of New Hampshire Primary, Non Religious Americans Take the Political Spotlight
By Frank Newport and Glynn Wilson – As New Hampshire takes over in the national spotlight this week as the presidential candidates focus on next Tuesday’s primary, Gallup released its latest survey showing the least and most religious states in the country. New Hampshire now tops the list as the least religious state, followed closely…
It Takes a Movement to Change America
By Robert Reich – In 2008, when then-Senator Barack Obama promised progressive change if elected President, his primary opponent, then-Senator Hillary Clinton, derided him. âThe skies will open, the light will come down, celestial choirs will be singing and everyone will know we should do the right thing and the world will be perfect,â she…
Zika Outbreak Highlights America’s Vulnerabilities
By Edgar Wilson – America has another chance to learn from developing regions threatened by a dangerous virus. The mosquito-borne Zika virus, normally found across central Africa and Southeast Asia, has been turning up in more and more countries throughout the Americas, with its biggest footprint in Brazil. In roughly three-quarters of all cases, Zika…
Michael Moore Endorses Bernie Sanders for President
By Michael Moore – When I was a child, they said there was no way this majority-Protestant country of ours would ever elect a Catholic as president. And then John Fitzgerald Kennedy was elected president. The next decade, they said America would not elect a president from the Deep South. The last person to do…
Cowardly Cowboy Insurrectionists Expect No Consequences from Oregon Wildlife Refuge Occupation
The Big Picture – By Glynn Wilson – It looks like the insurgent occupation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon is winding down. While it could be viewed as more tragic than funny, especially for the wildlife, it strikes me as bordering on hilarious that the remaining cowardly cowboys who are ready to…