Faith requires so little – only the willingness to abandon what one knows to be true in family and society, in favor of something less certain, outside one’s usual life experience. That is where a prophet of faith begins his (or her) personal journey. It is not until after others have… Read full post »

U.S. Sec. of State, Hillary Clinton and Libyan Amb. Ali Suleiman Aujali address gathering at the State Department, in Washington, D.C., Thursday night (from State Dept. video)

U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary R. Clinton, hosted an Eid ul-Fitr celebration, Thursday night, at the State Departmen/… Read full post »

He has been running for president of the United States for almost six years, and there are still so many doubts about his backbone and his political footing that opposing party partisans are not the only ones questioning his ability to be leader of the free world. But if he doesn’t… Read full post »

There is a two part movie analogy to what took place at the Democratic National Convention, in Charlotte, North Carolina, last week. One is the the trial drama, where the parade of witnesses for the defense – and the incumbent is always on the defense – testify to the jury of… Read full post »

President Bill Clinton thrills delegates at the Democratic Convention, in his speech nominating President Obama to a second term. (Photo Courtesy: Johannes Worsøe Berg)

Why is it that a Bill Clinton speech can soften Republican hearts when President Obama hardens them so much?

Alex Castellano… Read full post »

In what can easily be described as an uncomfortable three minutes for the Democratic National Convention, its chairman, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, was forced to take three, apparently close, voice votes from the delegates in Charlotte,  to amend the party’s platform, Wednesday, to… Read full post »

(PBG)

Sandra Fluke’s accidental celebrity, this year, may have come about over a Capitol Hill clash on women’s reproductive rights, and an unworthy epithet hurled at her from a right wing radio blowhard, but when she takes the podium, Wednesday night, at the Democratic National Con… Read full post »

One of the earliest speeches to the delegates of the Democratic National Convention, Tuesday evening, came from a man in a white cowboy hat – Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar. It kind of set the theme for the night.”Barack Obama has lived the American Dream,” he said. “H… Read full post »

Stephanie Stewart, a delegate from Democrats Abroad, holds a booklet containing the 2012 Democratic Party Platform.
(Photo by PBG)

As a policy document, one could get lost in the weeds about NATO, North Korea and loose nukes, but the wonky bits in the 2012 Democratic National Platform don&#8217/… Read full post »

Charlotte, North Carolina, on the eve of the 2012 Democratic National Convention
(Photo by PBG)

“We are thrilled to have the Democratic National Convention here, thrilled to have our party fighting for the South.” – Charlotte, North Carolina, Mayor Anthony Foxx, in a statement

… Read full post »

Flip the coin over. The Democrats in Charlotte are planning what they consider a kind of antithesis of what the Republicans just did in Tampa, and, they believe, it’s as much about population and platform as it is about publicizing policy.

DNC officials join Charlotte, NC, Mayor Anthony

… Read full post »

“[O]n issue after issue, Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan want to go backwards.”
-President Obama, Boulder, Colorado, September 2, 2012

The Republicans want you to be morose, sad and resigned.

One of the themes that emerged from the Republican National Convention, in Tampa, last week,… Read full post »

“We’re not going to let our campaign be dictated by fact-checkers,” Romney pollster Neil Newhouse, to an ABC breakfast panel, ahead of GOP vice presidential nominee, Rep. Paul Ryan’s acceptance speech, Wednesday.

It is kind of appropriate that Aeschylus’ famous, fifth ce… Read full post »

“Heaven sent a hurricane to hold off Gov. Romney’s coronation.”
-  Troy Newman, president of the anti-abortion activists group, Operation Rescue, in a statement, Monday, August 27, 2012

Having to push the actual vote to nominate Mitt Romney from Monday night to Tuesday because… Read full post »

2 CCs and the Connecticut Seas

Former GOP Gov. Crist speaking at the Dem Convention
Christie stuck with Jersey because of better odds
Coastal Connecticut reactor vulnerable to global warming

Former Florida, GOP Gov. Crist to speak at DNC

One day after announcing his endorsement for President Barack… Read full post »

August 22, 2012

Today’s Ticks & Pricks all take place under the 2012 Elections banner:

Akin and the GOP War on Women   Congress and the Fiscal Cliff   Osama Raid Book Surprises the White House

The… Read full post »

"It's not a rule of debate. It's a rule of silence, a rule of censorship."
- Emmet J. Bondurant, lead attorney in the lawsuit against the United States Senate, calling the filibuster rules unconstitutional

Sometimes it seems like the filibuster holds up every bill, motion and nomination that c… Read full post »

"I am disappointed that I won’t be able to continue my investigations of the Obama administration such as the risky loan guarantee to Solyndra and holding Planned Parenthood accountable to the taxpayers."
- 12 term incumbent, Rep.Cliff Stearns (R-FL), in a written statement, after his nar… Read full post »

“I am disappointed that I won’t be able to continue my investigations of the Obama administration such as the risky loan guarantee to Solyndra and holding Planned Parenthood accountable to the taxpayers.”
- 12 term incumbent, Rep.Cliff Stearns (R-FL), in a written statement, after his n

… Read full post »

"These kinds of terrible, tragic events are happening with too much regularity for us not to do some soul searching..."
- President Barack Obama, in response to the mass shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Sunday, August 5, 2012

Thank you, President Obvious.

You know, I'm not cle… Read full post »

“These kinds of terrible, tragic events are happening with too much regularity for us not to do some soul searching…”
- President Barack Obama, in response to the mass shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Sunday, August 5, 2012

Thank you, President Obvious.

You know, I… Read full post »

Jerusalem - Two cultures, in one city, for almost 1,500 years. How do you define success? (Photos by PBG)

It is now undeniable. Mitt Romney believes our planet is a Disneyland Small World ride, where simplistic definitions of mid-century global diversity remain as they were drawn out for Americans after World War II.

If I wouldn’t have lived my childhood through some of that time, I may not have re… Read full post »

“In our system of government, frequently, when people ban together, people triumph over politics as usual.”
- Regina Quick, Republican candidate for the Georgia House of Representatives, Athens, Georgia

People coming together for good government may not be anything new, but in today&#8217… Read full post »

Whether you’re on the right or on the left, there appears to be a consensus about at least one thing when you talk about ethics reform in the Georgia General Assembly. Any meaningful effort to improve trust and integrity in our state elected representatives, and their relationship with lobbyists an… Read full post »