Politics

“The GOP Must Seize The Center or Die”

/ Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

“The GOP Must Seize The Center or Die”

That was the proposition being debated on NPR’s Intelligence Squared.  It is perhaps the most important debate in American politics today.  

The Intelligence Squared website describes the debate as follows: 

2012 was a disappointing year for Republicans. The failure to win key swing states in the presidential election and surprising losses in the House and Senate have prompted some reflection. Was their embrace of small government, low taxes, and a strong conservative stance on social issues at odds with shifting American demographics? Or did the GOP embrace the right platform, but the wrong candidates? 

The debaters included David Brooks (The New York Times) and Mickey Edwards (former US Congressman (R-OK)) arguing in favor of the motion and Laura Ingraham (The Laura Ingraham Show) and Ralph Reed (Faith & Freedom Coalition). 

NY Corruption and the Revolving Door

/ Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

NY Corruption and the Revolving Door

Last night, Rachel Maddow started her show by discussing New York State’s outrageous public corruption scandal.  The scandal involves New York State Senator Malcolm Smith, New York City Council Member Daniel Halloran, and four others in an six count complain, which alleges bribery, extortion, and fraud charges.  

State Senator Malcolm A. Smith, a former Democrat, allegedly paid off party bosses in order to get on the ballot  in the New York City mayoral race as a Republican. 

 Aside from this blatant corruption, Maddow discussed subtler, routinecorruption–the revolving door between Washington and the private sector.  As an example, Maddow noted former Securities and Exchange Commission  (SEC) chief Mary Schapir.  Schapir, who was tasked with being  Washington’s top bank regulator, recently took a job with a consulting firm which advises banks about compliance with SEC regulations.   

The video (17:55) includes a brief introduction to the rest of the episode, and the relevant part of the story begins just under two minutes in.  

For the FBI press release regarding New York State corruption scandal, click here.

Sequester Disaster

/ Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbwmTELYqxU

Our political leaders “lack courage” and have let government go “off the rails,” so says conservative commentator Ben Stein. According to Stein, the sequester represents how ideological rigidity has led to Washington dysfunction. Stein quotes two great Americans, Mick Jagger and Abraham Lincoln, along the way and concludes with the homage to Larry the Cable Guy:

“Senators, Congressmen and women, Mister President, get back to Washington D.C., and get to work. Compromise. Work like you love America.

And get it done”

This brief (2:30) video was part of the weekly commentary segment on CBS Sunday Morning.

Text of the commentary is available here.

Navigating the Battlefield to Navigating Red Tape

/ Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

Navigating the Battlefield to Navigating Red Tape

Are we failing to meet our commitments to veterans? Yes, says journalist Aaron Glantz (Center for Investigative Reporting).  Despite President Obama’s proposals to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs by streamlining veteran’s claims, the reality has not lived up to the rhetoric.  To the contrary, things have gotten worse during the Obama presidency, with veterans waiting, on average, 273 days to access their benefits.  With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan coming to a close and the VA now recognizing new Agent Orange-related  illnesses, the number veterans making claims has increased.  Meanwhile, the VA remains radically understaffed.  

Glantz spoke with Fresh Air’s Terry Gross. Their conversation runs 32:16 minutes.