In this video, Brent Budowsky envisions what life will be like in 2009 under what he predicts will be both democratic executive and legislative branches of government.

Read his op-ed on the subject here

When you walk around the halls of Congress, especially on the House side, you see two kinds of displays outside members’ offices. Outside some, mostly those of anti-war Democrats, you will find a chart of all those killed in Iraq. Outside others — the offices of the so-called Blue Dogs — you will find a deficit chart, letting you know your portion of the national debt.

By posting the debt chart, the Blue Dogs are signaling their concern and indicating their strong opposition to the national debt. It is a political stunt meant to show moderation to their voters — many of whom wouldn’t vote for Nancy Pelosi for dogcatcher. Read more...

If you notice the growing number of foaming-mouth attacks from Tony Snow and some of our Republican brothers and sisters, here is why: There is landslide in the air.

New polls are starting to show the leading Democrats doing better and better than the leading Republicans in the presidential campaign. Senate Republicans face a true debacle; 22 of them face reelection battles in 2008, and almost all of them are acting like Bush-lite, Bush-heavy, or Bush-44.  Read more...

I agree with the Democratic leaders of the House and Senate — I too believe their Republican colleagues are heading for a rough August back home with their constituents, chatting about the Iraq war. Fortunately for Republicans, however, not only has some slight progress been reported in Iraq, but the Democrats gave them another talking point to take home so they no longer have to sound like robots, repeatedly saying, "We await the report of General Petraeus in September."  Read more...

In this video, Armstrong Williams says Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should spare himself the humiliation and resign from his position, in light of recent shakeups at the Department of Justice.

David Brooks had an interesting article in Tuesday's New York Times about the different approaches taken by John Edwards and Barack Obama when it comes to the issue of poverty. Brooks is an astute political observer, and he didn’t mention any approaches taken by any Republican candidates, probably because no Republican has really focused that much on the issue. It is time for the Republican candidates to get in the game.

Poverty is a real issue in America. Poverty crushes the dreams of millions of Americans. Efforts to take care of the poor cost the Treasury billions of dollars, money that seems to get little results. Poverty encourages crime. Where there is poverty, the chances of disease, like TB, increases.  Read more...

Here's the difference, I suppose: A lie, according to the dictionary, is "a gross falsification." Deception is "falsification."

So I guess the question of whether the nation's chief law enforcement officer is a liar or deceiver comes down, appropriately, to what the meaning of "gross" is.

Whatever. Whether it's the intentionally misleading testimony of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, or the tortured formulation of President Clinton as he too dealt with perjury accusations, those are just two examples of the clever truth-avoidance that Americans now perceive as commonplace, no more trustworthy than commercial advertising or its close cousin, the political campaign.  Read more...

My favorite part of the Democratic CNN/YouTube debate was the guitar-playing anti-tax guy. He was playing my song.

I think taxes should be a big issue in the next campaign. I believe we pay too many taxes to fund too much wasteful government. I think it is an issue that Republicans should unify over. I think people should be taking to the streets to protest outrageous tax rates.

Unfortunately, I am in the distinct minority. Taxes fall way down on the list of the most important issues in most polls. Read more...

What’s next for Alberto Gonzales?

Obviously, another congressional hearing’s not the answer. Because we know by now, all Gonzo does is go up to the Hill and lie. Expecting George Bush to fire him’s not the answer, either. Ain’t gonna happen.

That’s why four Democratic senators have asked the Solicitor General to name a special counsel to investigate whether Gonzo committed perjury by lying about his role in the NSA spying program and the firing of the U.S. attorneys.  Read more...