Iranian Democracy Protestors Await Obama's Action

Heather Robinson, 12.13.2009

Former Senior Writer for the New York Daily News

In this week's Wall Street Journal, columnist Amir Taheri reports that Iran's pro-democracy movement is "deepening and growing." On Monday, thousands...

2009: A Year in "Quotes"

Bill Lucey, 12.13.2009

As 2009 draws to a close, I compiled a selection of quotes from leading newsmakers as a way of highlighting some of the biggest news stories of the year.

Obama Ignores Lessons of Community Organizing

Randy Shaw, 12.13.2009

Author, Beyond the Fields: Cesar Chavez, the UFW and the Struggle for Justice in the 21st Century

When Barack Obama backed a Senate health reform plan that differed radically from prior proposals, he ignored the lessons he learned as a young organi...

Hoping to Win Second Nobel Peace Prize, Obama Invades Iran

Andy Borowitz, 12.13.2009

BorowitzReport.com

Mr. Obama said that if his quest for a second Nobel is successful, he would bomb North Korea. "I have just one word for you," he said. "Three-peat."

Arianna To John Podesta On Afghanistan: 'You Now Sound Like George Bush' (VIDEO)

Huff TV, 12.13.2009

During ABC's "This Week" on Sunday, Arianna and Center for American Progress CEO John Podesta sparred over President Obama's escalation of the war in ...

China Swaps US Debt for Equity: All Problems Solved!

Tom Gregory, 12.13.2009

Actor, radio personality, and Tony nominated producer

Goldman Sachs has announced that its Treasury Dept. has completed a debt for equity swap with the People's Republic of China, effectively solving most of America's problems.

Sunday Roundup

Arianna Huffington, 12.12.2009

This week, in accepting his Nobel Peace Prize, President Obama strenuously argued that "as a head of state sworn to protect and defend my nation" he "cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people." I couldn't agree more. But what exactly are the threats to the American people coming from Afghanistan? The Taliban? Or the 100 al-Qaeda members who didn't get the "we're moving to Pakistan" memo? In his 2002 denunciation of the war in Iraq, Obama said: "I don't oppose all wars...What I am opposed to is a dumb war." Well, escalating troop levels to 100,000 and spending $30 billion a year to take on 100 terrorists -- that's 1,000 U.S. soldiers and $300 million for every one al-Qaeda fighter -- while the real threats lie elsewhere strikes me as the gold standard of a dumb, immoral war of choice.

Barack Obama's Oslo Speech: A Caption-Summary With Excerpts

David Bromwich, 12.13.2009

Professor of Literature at Yale

In explaining his interpretation of a prize for peace, Barack Obama made the broadest defense he has yet offered of American military action throughout the world.

Massive International Turnout in Support of a 'Real Deal' Climate Treaty

Richard Graves, 12.12.2009

Blogger/Online Campaigner, Global Campaign for Climate Action

Scenes streaming in from thousands of citizen organizers to show their support for climate change are the perfect antidote to efforts at gridlock coming from political leaders in Copenhagen.

What Makes Us Wise II: The Defining Wisdom Project

Julia Moulden, 12.12.2009

New Radical: how we earn our living can become the way we give back.

In order to create a field of wisdom science, we wanted to bring together all the interested parties - philosophers, classicists, historians, experts in law, medicine, psychology, biology.

The Best Jobs Bill for 2010 Was Passed In 1953

Lloyd Chapman, 12.12.2009

Small business advocate

56-Year-Old Law Could Slash National Unemployment Rate In 1953 Congress passed the Small Business Act. The law established the Small Business Adminis...

Friday Talking Points [104] -- Washington Frenzy

Chris Weigant, 12.13.2009

Author, Political Commentator, and Blogger (ChrisWeigant.com)

After taking more time off than George Bush ever did, Congress finds itself at the year's end with a whole stack of things to accomplish. Which results in a frenzy of things getting passed, or at least debated.

Obama at Oslo: Israel Exempt From International Standards

MJ Rosenberg, 12.12.2009

Senior Fellow Media Matters Action Network

Obama's speech in Oslo was brilliant. And yet, I have one significant problem with Obama's speech. It contained one gaping element of hypocrisy. It concerns Israelis and Palestinians.

NRA Members For Reasonable Gun Restrictions

Paul Helmke, 12.11.2009

President, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

it is time for Congress to start listening to the American people -- including NRA members and gun owners -- instead of responding to the dictates of NRA bosses.

The Land Mines Obama Won't Touch

Bill Moyers, 12.12.2009

Bill Moyers Journal

The United States is the third largest stockpiler of land mines in the world, behind China and Russia. Like those two countries, we have refused to sign an agreement banning the manufacture, stockpiling and use of land mines.

Bill Gates Admits He Was Wrong (Bloomberg Doesn't)

Alan Singer, 12.11.2009

Social studies educator at Hofstra University

No, this is not a spoof headline from the satirical newspaper The Onion. In his 2009 annual letter to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gate...

What If Santa Were Gay?

Ruth Sherman, 12.11.2009

I just saw a sweet, funny, Off-Broadway play entitled "Santa Claus Is Coming Out" that entertains exactly this question. We learn that Santa Claus is afraid; he is actually a closeted gay man.

Keeping Everybody Happy

Sen. Fritz Hollings, 12.11.2009

Former South Carolina Senator

We are not competing in the global economy because the Fortune 500 and the money crowd in New York, are getting rich investing, developing, and producing in China.

Progressive Dixie: A Rare Occaision for Pride

Richard Allen Smith, 12.11.2009

Editor of the VoteVets.org blog VetVoice

We have endured poverty, with over 60% percent of Alabama children going hungry at some point during 2008. We have also endured failure in the realm of college football.

Telling the Story of History

Richard Albert, 12.11.2009

Assistant Professor, Boston College Law School; Race-Talk Contributor

Years from now, when history strokes its pen to tell the story of the 2008 presidential election, how will it capture in words a moment whose full meaning can be conveyed only with emotion?

Obama Gives Hanukkah Wishes in Hebrew; Birthers Now Claim He Was Born in Israel

Andy Borowitz, 12.11.2009

BorowitzReport.com

Orly Taitz, a leading Birther spokesperson, said today that she had in her possession a birth certificate for Mr. Obama that was issued in Tel Aviv.