Exclusive excerpts from Christopher Hitchens’ God Is Not Great

This week Slate is publishing three excerpts from Christopher Hitchens’ new book, God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. From Slate Magazine Finally, a book critical on religion from the only atheist more pompous, self righteous and infuriatingly arrogant than Richard Dawkins. I hope this book is successful enough to bloat Hitchens already swollen… Continue reading Exclusive excerpts from Christopher Hitchens’ God Is Not Great

Abramoff III

Yet another shoe drops in the Jack Abramoff investigation. A former aide to Rep. Don Young (R-AK), Mark Zachares, looks set to plead guilty to corruption charges. From TPMmuckraker You know things are bad when scandals this big become B level stories because there are such major scandals taking up all of the media baud… Continue reading Abramoff III

Bill to Let Medicare Negotiate Drug Prices Is Blocked

A pillar of the Democratic political program tumbled today when Republicans in the Senate blocked a proposal to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for millions of older Americans, a practice now forbidden by law. From Bill to Let Medicare Negotiate Drug Prices Is Blocked Can someone please explain why forbidding the Government from… Continue reading Bill to Let Medicare Negotiate Drug Prices Is Blocked

Latte Laborers Take on a Latte-Liberal Business

ON March 30, the National Labor Relations Board’s New York office delivered a stinging accusation against one of the city’s — and the nation’s — most popular retail outlets. The labor board charged that Starbucks, the ubiquitous coffee chain, committed 30 violations of law in the process of trying to ward off union activity at… Continue reading Latte Laborers Take on a Latte-Liberal Business

Pelosi’s Delegation Presses Syrian Leader on Militants

Delegation members said that they sought to persuade Mr. Assad to distance himself from Iran, and its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iran has become Syria’s ally in the growing confrontation with the so-called quartet of moderate Arab states, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. From NYT This is one of those moments where… Continue reading Pelosi’s Delegation Presses Syrian Leader on Militants

Qaeda Is Seen as Restoring Leadership

American, European and Pakistani authorities have for months been piecing together a picture of the new leadership, based in part on evidence-gathering during terrorism investigations in the past two years. Particularly important have been interrogations of suspects and material evidence connected to a plot British and American investigators said they averted last summer to destroy… Continue reading Qaeda Is Seen as Restoring Leadership

Bob Barr explains the conservative crack-up

So the conservative movement in recent years has suffered from allowing itself to become captured by the Republican Party, and it has lost, in many respects, its independence, the power that comes from being a true independent, principled movement, the conservative movement. These issues have become very complex because of that. So, for example, when… Continue reading Bob Barr explains the conservative crack-up

Sub-prime Lender Files for Bankruptcy

Once a highflier in the booming market for making risky mortgage loans, the New Century Financial Corporation filed for bankruptcy court protection today. From NYT Not sure how I feel about this news from the mortgage industry. Normally, I think home ownership is a net-good for society. But that shouldn’t be an excuse for lenders… Continue reading Sub-prime Lender Files for Bankruptcy

Income inequality grew significantly in 2005

Income inequality grew significantly in 2005, with the top 1 percent of Americans — those with incomes that year of more than $348,000 — receiving their largest share of national income since 1928, analysis of newly released tax data shows. The top 10 percent, roughly those earning more than $100,000, also reached a level of… Continue reading Income inequality grew significantly in 2005