I knew Cathie Black was done, but Walcott surprised me; I was expecting Bloomie to appoint Tina Brown.
The question remains whether getting the same policies executed more competently really counts as some sort of victory
Cathie Black channels Charlie Rangel Cathie Black: "If I Were A Guy …" www.nydailynews.com
While I have no doubt that the motivations behind Tom Di Napoli’s policy of auditing charter schools are not entirely altruistic, one cannot help but think this is a tremendous victory for accountability, and one way in which Di Napoli has turned out to be superior to his far more credentialed opponent.
Any place taxpayer money goes should be subject to audit, and given some of the people given this money, even more so.
Free to be independent of some government rules is not free to be independent of all government accountability. State set to audit charter schools for the first time www.timesunion.com
Most laughable accusation of the day: Ed Koch as partisan Democrat. LOL! Skelos: Democrat Koch Wants Democrat Dominance www.capitaltonight.com
Big surprise of this piece: Liz Holtzman described as attractive
Liz Holtzman for State Committeewoman in Brooklyn networkedblogs.com
Too many of my liberal friends are whining about the Government shutting down and then complaining about the vile demands the Republicans are making
And so am I.
But, at some level, these are somewhat incompatible complaints.
If your top priority is avoiding a shutdown, then ultimately you are obligated to fold and swallow the poison. Avoiding a shutdown is a defensible position, but you can't hold it and then decry the extremely distasteful compromises that doing that would entail.
And let's face it, going to the brink is such a classic oldtime tactic that there is is a term for it (brinksmanship). If you're not folding, you have to be willing to call their bluff and let them call yours. The only thing that's changed is the insanity level of the demands of those we're forced to deal with. But blaming equally the loons and the sane who have to negotiate with them is not quite fair
Saletan is correct that tax refunds are not a government service; but if you can't get one when the government is shut down, then that fact is a distinction without a difference. Would a shutdown of tax refunds cost you a government service, or your own money? www.slate.com
Chait says the budget debate is taking place in a vacuum.
And we all know that vacuums suck The Affordable Care Act Did Happen | The New Republic www.tnr.com
Senator John Kyl is a child molester who likes to shoot puppies and feed their entrails to unsuspecting senior citizens (not intended as a factual statement). Quote For The Day andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com
Abortion Flip Flop List: In NYC, I'd add Steve Harrison, but how can I object to such flip flops when they are the essence of choice, which I favor. Abortion flips, the listicle – Ben Smith www.politico.com
A lot of sound and fury signifying nothing. It’s really, truly over: New report completely debunks New Black Panther nonsense – The Plum Line -. www.washingtonpost.com
If it was NYC, no one would be shocked if the BOE missed counting a bunch of votes. Prosser's lead – Ben Smith www.politico.com
The smartest man in America is also a skeptic: http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/08/vote-counting-error-in-wisconsin-points-to-incompetence-not-conspiracy/
Although I'd not make a religion out of this issue, this link is pretty much in accordance with my views on term limits, though I would also add bureaucrats to lobbyists in my list of those whose permanent power is facilitated by such a policy . Yglesias » Against Term Limits yglesias.thinkprogress.org
Alec Wisner (on Facebook):
(1) Israel = socialist democracy (2) Arab regimes = totalitarian theocracies. (3) Many self-proclaimed "liberals," "progressives," "socialists" and "radicals," in claiming to be "anti-Zionist," are actually opposing the existence of Israel as a Jewish state, in effect opting for (2) over (1). I've never understood this sort of idiocy and I never will. If this offends you, feel free to unfriend me.
Memo to my friends on the Zionist Right: Your enemies know who Israel's friends are; why don't you? Helen Thomas to Playboy: Jews 'own the White House' – On Media www.politico.com