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'Nation of Cowards' Aside, Holder Was Right, Especially About Black History Month
Tweet Share on Facebook February 20, 2009 Comment (17)By Mary Kate Cary, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
I was traveling all day yesterday, and the most intriguing headline I saw on the newsstand was that Attorney General Eric Holder had called the United States a "nation of cowards." Curious, I found his remarks online as soon as I landed here in Texas. Click here to read the whole transcript of his speech, which is actually pretty thoughtful. In it, he questions the value of Black History Month as it exists now, saying we're a nation of cowards who are uncomfortable when it comes to talking about race:
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Faith-Based Charities Hit Hard by Economic Crisis, and It's Their Own Fault
Tweet Share on Facebook February 20, 2009 Comment (10)By Bonnie Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street blog.
While my heart goes out to the people they serve, I have little sympathy for faith-based charities now hurting in the downturn. They never should have let themselves become dependent on the government largesse, because recessions are cyclical and inevitable, and relying on any funding source to continue forever, be it government or private sector, is unwise. But apparently they have and now many are having to cut back:
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Foreclosures Are a Regional, Not a National Problem--Half Are in Four States
Tweet Share on Facebook February 20, 2009 Comment (13)By Michael Barone, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
A very interesting Web posting from stateline.org shows the foreclosure rates in each state from December 2007 to January 2009.
What's fascinating, when you look at the numbers, is how geographically concentrated the foreclosures are in a few states. Only nine states have foreclosure rates (number of foreclosures per 5,000 housing units) above the national average. Four states have massive high foreclosure rates—the four Sand States, as some call them:
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Anxiety on Afghanistan in General McKiernan, Senator Kerry, and Others a Worrisome Sign
Tweet Share on Facebook February 19, 2009 Comment (1224)By John Aloysius Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
Hey, Rob. I agree. President Obama's decision to add another 17,000 troops to the allied forces in Afghanistan—with perhaps another 10,000 to 12,000 to follow later this year—is the big dog that ain't barking here in Washington this week.
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College Students Need to Toughen Up, Quit Their Grade Whining
Tweet Share on Facebook February 19, 2009 Comment (12)By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
If you didn't see it, check out yesterday's New York Times piece on grade inflation and college student expectations these days. It'll make you cringe. (Unless of course you happen to be a student, in which case it may make you seethe. Or roll your eyes.)
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The Facebook Terms of Use Debate—We Care Because It's Social
Tweet Share on Facebook February 19, 2009 Comment (1)By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
I'm a reasonably engaged Facebook user: I update my status with regularity, have a few friends, and diligently maintain the Thomas Jefferson Street blog page (more than 100 readers signed on). But I was wholly unaware of the great Facebook Terms of Use debate until the evil corporation had surrendered.
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Economic Crisis Is A Lose-Lose for Democrats and Republicans, Stimulus or No
Tweet Share on Facebook February 19, 2009 Comment (8)By Bonnie Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street blog.
I feel sorry for Democrats and Republicans trying to sort through the current economic crisis and pull the country through this Depression—er—recession. If they open the printing press's floodgates, they satisfy the "woe is me" types. But they also expose federal funds to all manner of corporate abuse, as we saw with the first Bush Bailout dollars, some of which were spent on lavish vacations for high-earner sales types.
If they do nothing, and the economy does not pull itself out of recession, they won't get re-elected because they failed to act.
Now Bloomberg tells us stringent rules packaged in with the president's mortgage bailout may limit its efficacy:
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The Obama Surge in Afghanistan—Smart Move?
Tweet Share on Facebook February 19, 2009 Comment (6)By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
As promised during the presidential campaign, President Obama is dramatically stepping up the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.
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Obama Is High in Polls, But Issues Like Mortgage and Auto Crises Help Republicans
Tweet Share on Facebook February 19, 2009 Comment (14)By Michael Barone, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
Some interesting results from pollster Scott Rasmussen.
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More Republican Governors Opposed Obama Stimulus Than Favored It; Many Were Quiet
Tweet Share on Facebook February 19, 2009 Comment (9)Following up on an earlier post about whether GOP governors are lining up with Obama on the stimulus package, I've done some poking around the Internet and as best as I can tell, Republican chief executives are pretty split on the new law, with a plurality criticizing it and a lot of others keeping their powder dry on the issue.
