The Reaction in Review (September 13, 2009)

A weekend's Reactions that deserve a second look:

Sunday

By Capt. Fogg: "Bye Bye Norma Rae" -- Fogg writes a wonderful in-your-face piece about what happens to someone, in this case the real Norma Rae character, Chystal Lee, when her insurance company's "death panel" denied her treatment for brain cancer.

By Michael J.W. Stickings: " 'Unhinged hysteria': More tea party extremism" -- Michael posts chapter and verse (and another photo), that illustrate the breadth of the current Republican right wing buzz. See also: "Photo of the Day."

By Creature: "Truth in Comics" -- Hilarious: Joe the Plumber to Joe the Wilson.


Saturday

By Capt. Fogg: "The dogs do bark" -- The Captain's cutting-edge post regarding the tea party protesters gathered in Washington generated a lengthy and lively comment thread.

The Reaction in Review (September 11, 2009)

By Carol Gee

A week's Reactions that deserve a second look:

Friday

By J. Thomas Duffy: "Rebecca Solnit: How 9/11 Should Be Remembered" -- Duffy posts one of the fine pieces that should be center stage on the Anniversary of 9/11/01.

By Carl: "Eight Years on" -- Carl's beautiful post spot lights much that is at the psychological center of the meaning of 9/11, and reminds us that it is our opportunity for participation in the National Day of Service.

By Capt. Fogg: "Limbaugh's Lament" -- Rush Limbaugh gets lambasted for his hate-filled lies about President Obama, and the issue of illegal immigrants and the proposed health care reform legislation (with interesting comment debate).


Thursday

By Carol Gee: "Obama speech reactions -- a roundup" -- This post summarizes a number of well known pundits and others for their takes on the President's great speech to a joint session of Congress.

By Frankie Sturm: "Energy policy and national security clearly linked" -- A guest post with great links is by one of the good folks at the Truman Project; it concludes, ". . . climate change is a threat to our national security. . . we need to keep [that] in mind. . . we need a new energy policy this year."


Wednesday

By Michael J.W. Stickings "The Speech: Obama defends health-care reform before joint session of Congress" -- Michael's analysis is insightful and his conclusion is spot-on: "Indeed, what Obama and the Democrats need to understand -- and I realize this is hard for Democrats -- is that they actually have the upper hand here, and that they need to take advantage of the historic opportunity that has been presented to them."

By Carl: "Baby, you're a rich man" -- this piece should be required reading for Beatles fans who loved the boys and their music just as it was, and for all others just because Carl is such a great writer.

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Sarah Palin, mostly loathsome" -- Michael's analysis of Palin's (?) op-ed in the WSJ exposes why most of the piece is "the sort of drivel you'd expect. . . still the same old right-wing claptrap."


Tuesday

By Carl: "Knee jerks" -- Focused on the UK trial and conviction of three British would-be bombers, Carl reports on the frustration felt by the British at ex-Veep Cheney's nervousness that prematurely blew the cover of the Brit's original plot investigation.

By Mustang Bobby: "Reaganites vs. the GOP" -- With a hat tip to Andrew Sullivan, Bobby's wonderfully written rant is just great: "There's a part of me that chortles with maniacal glee when I see the once-mighty-and-bound-for-permanent-majority GOP circling the drain; it's just desserts for their disastrous and vengeful leadership during their stint in the Congress after the 1994 elections which led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton and the election of George W. Bush."

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Quote of the Day: Andrew Sullivan on Obama and health-care reform" -- Michael's fine post explores the evolution of his own thinking, saying that "there is nonetheless the possibility that Obama retains 'a strategic cunning,' in Sullivan's words, that will actually lead to more substantial change over the long haul."

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Education indoctrination: Obama speaks to the children" -- This very thorough and good analysis concludes that Republicans, ". . . in situating themselves against a profound statement of American values like this address, all they've done is exposed their own partisan priorities, not to mention their personal and ideological insanity."


Monday

By J. Thomas Duffy: "Happy Labor Day!" -- Duffy's ebullient post is a full-to-the-brim toolkit of items that helped us have a good holiday: fun illustrations, a video, links to lots of great music and Wikipedia's history of the holiday. Yeah!

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Why 60?" -- Michael wonders aloud why Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) continues to pine for bipartisanship to pass health-care reform legislation.


Creature featured on health care: Quote on Baucus; The big speech; The morning after; A heckle too far.

(Cross-posted at Behind the Links.)

The Reaction in Review (September 6, 2009)

By Carol Gee

A weekend's Reactions that deserve a second look:

Sunday

By (O)CT(O)PUS: "Happy Labor Day Banana Republic Day" -- Our author provides an alternative, and probably much more realistic, view of the real meaning of Labor Day.

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "The children are the future: Barack Obama, Van Jones and right-wing insanity" -- Michael's brilliant post concludes, "It's not Van Jones that's the problem. If it's insanity you're looking for -- insanity mixed with ideological, partisan extremism -- look no further than today's Republican Party and its conservative base."


Saturday

By Capt. Fogg: "MarXrays from Planet Obama" -- Read great word-smith Fogg's concluding graph,"In a way, it's encouraging that after nearly eight months, giving a speech to America's students is the worst thing they can pin on Obama, but that this pathetic collection of misbegotten miscreants will buy into it as enthusiastically as monster-hunting peasants surrounding castle Frankenstein makes me continue to be ashamed at any country with such people in it."

By Mustang Bobby: "Trial balloons" -- Bobby's great analysis ends with the fulfillment of a wonderful fantasy -- what we would all love for the President to say when he addresses Congress on Wednesday.

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Craziest Republican of the Day: Michelle Bachmann" -- One of The Reaction's favorite themes, CRD produced a comment dialog with "anonymous," showcasing a couple of our best debaters, Capt. Fogg and Mustang Bobby.

(Cross-posted at Behind the Links.)

The Reaction in review (July 5, 2009)

A weekend's Reactions that deserve a second look:

Sunday

By Capt. Fogg: "No exit?" -- Fogg explores the latest statement of Vice President Joe Biden on national sovereignty, concluding, "With Joe, you never know, but sometimes you worry."


Saturday

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "July 4, 2009" -- Michael's "Happy Fourth" message included a Jimi Hendrix Woodstock national anthem video, prompting happy comments.

By J. Thomas Duffy: "Happy Fourth of July!" -- Duffy's post adds to everyone's holiday pleasure with great music links and a neat visual, all in his usual exuberant style.

By Capt. Fogg: "Whither Sarah - more speculation" -- Fogg, the great word smith, elicited several comments: "So why is she doing this? It's nearly impossible to tell from her tangled and mangled speech, which of course makes her verbal mulch the the perfect medium for hydroponic conjecture."

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Reactions to the Palin resignation" -- Michael delves into what others -- such as Bill Kristol, Josh Marshall, John Dickerson and Andrew Sullivan -- have said, closing with his own insightful "take" on the news.

(Cross posted at Behind the Links)

The Reaction in Review (May 17, 2009)

A weekend's Reactions that deserve a second look:

Sunday

By Capt. Fogg: "Whoever it is, we're against him" -- Fogg reminds us that Republicans need money with this, "That they don't have the votes to actually block an Obama appointment seems obvious, but they do hope to have the opportunity for sufficient demonization and hysteria to loosen the purse strings of newly parsimonious traditional supporters."

By Mustang Bobby: "Told you so" -- Citing a useful archival article that gives insight into the GM/Chrysler dealership problem, Bobby insightfully explores the question of whether they "could have staved off their current situation."


Saturday

By Capt. Fogg: "No presidents need apply" -- This post skilfully takes on the controversy surrounding President Obama's decision to accept Notre Dame's invitation to give the commencement address, concluding: "The American People, particularly the younger ones, aren't the ones trying to tear the country apart for fun and profit, it's the same, cranky, closed minded and anti-democratic institutions and leaders who have been with us since the beginning.

By LindaBeth: "Do not all judges only have a perspective?" -- This great post explains the mistaken notion of purely objective judicial decision-making, noting, "What is more accurate is that identity and experiences of oppression and privilege will necessarily come to bear on any judicial decision-making."


Great Quickies: Michael J.W. Stickings on the great music of Priscilla Ahn and Creature's great Truth in Comics.

The Reaction in Review (May 10, 2009)

A weekend's Reactions that deserve a second look:

Sunday

By Capt. Fogg: "What are we going to do about Newt?" -- Fogg begins his terrific post with this, "Welcome to Republican Bizarro World where everything is its opposite. Newt reminds us that calls by some Democrats for investigations into Bush administration torture and secret imprisonment without trial practices amounts to a partisan attack reminiscent of the McCarthy era."

By LindaBeth: "Ethnocentrism on Meet the Press" -- LindaBeth writes about the David Gregory interview of Afghan President Hamid Karzai regarding that country's recent difficulties with marital rape under Afghan law, comparing it with the questionable U.S. legal history regarding the same issue. . . enlightening!

By J. Thomas Duffy: "Happy Mother's Day!" -- Duffy gifts us with a tremendous video song, 'Sweet Mother,' by Prince Nico Mbarga.

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Quote of the Day: Mike Huckabee on the 'irrelevant' GOP" --Michael wisely warns that, "Huckabee is no voice of moderation in a party that has precious little of that virtue."

Saturday

By Mustang Bobby: "Just sayin'" -- Bobby's very well done post (about David Feherty's recent outrageous comments) makes the point that "the people who complain the most about their restrictions of free speech rights are the ones who both abuse the right and have no compunction about restricting it for other people."

Bonus Creature Feature: "Live long and prosper" -- Truth in comics.

The Reaction in Review (April 17, 2009)

A week's Reactions that deserve a second look:

Friday

By Mustang Bobby: "Tying his hands" -- Bobby writes a brilliant piece in defense of President Obama's decisions surrounding the torture issue and the ability of the administration to continue do its job.

By Capt. Fogg: "Ban the Assault weapons!" -- Fogg writes a thoughtfully provocative piece on some of the issues that surround the current conversation about "assault weapons."

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "The New Secessionists; or, conservative teabagging gone wild" -- Related to his 1860-61 post below, Michael reports on several recent radical actions in state legislatures that could be dangerous to the well-being of the nation as a whole.


Thursday

By Carl: "To be or not to be" -- Carl's New York residency forms the opening of his great post on the future pitfalls or possibilities of passage of a same-sex marriage law in his state.

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "It's 1860-61 all over again (or, why Rick Perry is our Craziest Republican of the Day) -- Michael adds to the "tea party" merriment with a post laying out Texas' secession options, in obvious contrast to my governor's failed-history-class-take on fake big government "right-wing claptrap." (See also 4/17/09.)


Wednesday

By Carl: "Havana wonderful time, wish you were here" -- In this very clever and sensible post, Carl invites all Americans to celebrate President Obama's foreign policy changes toward Cuba.

By Boatboy: "Green or not" -- This well written guest post compares and contrasts a couple of stories about promoting a responsible U.S. energy policy, ending with a bit of his own personal experience.

By Mustang Bobby: "Of taxes and teabags" -- Bobby's great piece of writing concludes, "I wonder if there will be anyone at the Tea Parties holding up a sign saying that they're being used and then tossed -- just like a tea bag -- by the people who put them up to this?

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "The GOP, full of bad ideas" -- Regarding Eric Cantor's brainchild, the Internet "Solutions Center," Michael's post says, "it isn't that Republicans don't have any ideas but rather that the ideas they do have are bad and have been soundly rejected by the American people."

By J. Thomas Duffy: "Obsolete" -- Duffy's post brilliantly exposes right-wing outrage over DHS surveillance as deserved shoe-on-the-other-foot stuff.


Tuesday

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Obama vs. the pirates" -- This post explores what options the Obama administration might face regarding Somali piracy escalation.

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Here we go: Fox News actively promoting tea parties" -- Michael takes away the Fox News' pretense of "fair and balanced" coverage of the April 15 right-wing "Tea parties." See also, on the same subject: April 13, 2009.

By J. Thomas Duffy: "You were cool, Mark Fidrych ... You were way cool ..." -- Duffy's great post pays homage to one of our favorite pitchers, who was popularly known as "The Bird."


Monday

By Carol Gee: "Tales of torture" -- This digest begins with the Red Cross report on the torture of detainees and ends with the NYT article introducing the release of Bush's OLC memos.

By Creature: "71" -- Creature opens, "That's the percentage of American people who"have a great deal or a fair amount of confidence in President Obama to do or recommend the right thing for the economy."

The Reaction in Review (April 5, 2009)

A weekend's Reactions that deserve a second look:

Sunday

By J. Thomas Duffy: "Play Ball! ... The best Baseball Primer is here!" -- Any baseball novice would be able to "get" baseball after reading Duffy's fun explanation; extras include great pics and "Bonus Fungo Riffs."

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "The looting of America" -- Michael reluctantly agrees with Glenn Greenwald's important post on "Summers, Geithner and Wall Street's ownership of government."


Saturday

By Greg Prince: "GOP criticizes Democrats for wanting to address the economic crisis, fails to see self parody" -- Greg argues for making sure Democrats control the debate over whether the people Eric Cantor calls "entrepeneurs" should still be able to exercise their disastrous control over the American economy.

By Capt. Fogg: "When trolls attack" -- Fogg's masterful use of the English language delights us again, this time regarding troll comments: "I'm sure the armchair assassin thinks he really scored and perhaps he's getting his 5$ per post bonus from the GOP to boot" (six comments follow).

By Mustang Bobby: "Being out in public" -- Bobby effectively takes on Beliefnet's Rod Dreher's lament about the Iowa same sex marriage decision "that makes it tough to be a 'public Christian,'" saying to Dreher, "First, being a 'public Christian' does not mean being... pompous, arrogant, and sanctimonious" (includes several comments).

-- compiled by Carol Gee

The Reaction in Review (Sept. 28, 2008)

A weekend's Reactions that deserve a second look:

Some interesting comments in this group.

Sunday

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Trade missions to nowhere" -- Michael examines "yet another lie from Sarah Palin."

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "BREAKING NEWS: Congress close to bailout deal" -- Michael "hopes this isn't a blank cheque for Bush, Paulson, and the Wall Street oligarchs."


Saturday

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Paul Newman (1925-2008)" -- Includes Michael's Top 5 movies along with a video of one of his favorite lines of all time.

By Carl: "Goodbye, Old Friend" -- Beautifully written history / homage / obituary / tribute to New York's Shea Stadium, with this best line: "I will wrap my arms around as much of the stadium as I can, and kiss her and say goodbye. And probably cry a little, just as I am now."

By Libby Spencer: "The debate: morning after analysis" -- Good piece to read if you didn't see the debate, as it captures who did better and why.

The Reaction in Review (Sept. 27, 2008)

A week's Reactions that deserve a second look:

This week's "round-up" is slightly delayed in order to accommodate our best presidential debate reactions.


Saturday

By J. Thomas Duffy: "Debate results: The Flintstones vs. The Jetsons" -- Duffy's creative, inimitable style, along with great out-takes and tons of good links, enriches this post -- well worth the read.


Friday

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Initial reflections on the first Obama-McCain debate'" -- Excellent summary of the debate includes the author's insightful reflections, along with those of other highly respected bloggers (includes an interesting comment thread).

By LindaBeth: "LA Representative wants the poor sterilized, rich to procreate more" -- " . . . he's going to racistly assume that it's because they're voluntarily having "too many" children "they can't afford," . . . we should encourage, not free contraception and education, but sterilization. . . ?"


Thursday

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "On CNN's appalling coverage of Obama, McCain, and the bailout negotiations" -- "McCain is playing leader, and the media are playing along, but he isn't actually leading anything."

By Carol Gee: "Will it always be about conflict?" -- "The word that best describes the United States' role in the world under the Bush administration . . . is "versus, " U.S. vs. mid-east, right vs. wrong, etc."

By J. Thomas Duffy: "Top Ten Cloves: Things John McCain will do Friday evening, instead of debating Barack Obama" -- Duffy's famous countdown list, plus bonus photo of McCain and Rick Davis.


Wednesday

By Grace: "Stephen Harper vs. The Arts" -- "The true wealth of the arts community is our talent and enthusiasm for sharing it - by trying to stifle it, Harper has proven himself to be a cultural pauper."

By Carl: "Politics stops at the border, right?" -- Carl predicts the classified Afghanistan National Intelligence Estimate will be leaked Nov. 5. . . Adm. Mullen: "I'm not convinced we're not winning it in Afghanistan."

By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Crisis" -- A very well-reasoned argument that is skeptical about the administration's Wall Street bail-out plan.


Tuesday

By Libby Spencer: "Obama offers specifics -- media isn't there" -- Libby laments that Obama's media coverage is only about the "horse race" and the polls, leaves out the substance.

By Creature: "For old times' sake" -- Revelations about the real reasons for the agreement to withdraw troops from Iraq in 2011.

By Capt. Fogg: "It's my party and I'll lie if I want to" -- Dead-on post about Sarah's silly New York coming out party; "but she won't be coming out and we won't be coming in," The Press.


Monday

By Carl: "Risky business" -- Very thoughtful analysis of the Wall Street banking bail-out options - with hat tips to Paul Krugman and George Will.

By Dan Tobin: Rock-throwing McCain's (seven) houses made of glass? -- Clever post about the presidential candidates' vehicle fleets.

By Capt. Fogg: "From lie to shining lie" -- A searing post key to an electorate that is too easily swayed by Palin's prevarications.


Special free bonus -- By Michael J.W. Stickings: "Painful Palin" series -- "Free Sarah Palin," "Not to belabor the point," "Palin and the press," "Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah."