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The opportunity to sit down and talk with the remarkable American writers (and Nation Editorial Board members) Toni Morrison, Tony Kushner, and Walter Mosley is rare enough one on one. The chance to talk with all three of them together, about the future of our culture, is extraordinary. If you're in New York on Wednesday night, you have that opportunity to do just that--at the second of two Nation "Salons." In these intimate discussions (with a cocktail party to follow) we're bringing together some of the best thinkers in the World to debate critical topics of our time. The first Salon last month asked "what will become of our media." Wednesday's Salon asks an equally provocative question: What will become of our culture, as technology, cultural shifts and political changes reshape the world. The event is a fundraiser for The Nation and helps support our investigative reporting. If you've ever wanted to meet Toni Morrison, Tony Kushner or Walter Mosley (or all three) there are still a few tickets remaining. Click here to register. Tickets are discounted for Editor's Cut readers--enter code RAC102 for half off.
(If you're not in New York, we'll have video up later this month.)
That investigative reporting was on full display here in the last week, as Reporter Aram Roston (supported by The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute) revealed that money is flowing from the Pentagon to insurgents in Afghanistan, including the Taliban. We're literally paying insurgents to let our supply lines pass, so that our soldiers have supplies to fight insurgents. It's an outrage, and it demonstrates once again the folly of escalation in the region as President Obama nears his fateful decision. Here's MSNBC's Ed Schultz and Brave New Film's Robert Greenwald discussing the story:
[
Robert has been outspoken in his effort to encourage America--and the Obama Administration--to "Rethink Afghanistan." We appreciate his work, and the efforts of Schultz, The Nation's Jeremy Scahill, MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan, and leading newspapers around the world (including The Guardian) who have helped move Aram Roston's story into the mainstream in the Afghanistan strategy debate.
Two other big stories this week: The Nation's Chris Hayes penned an under-the-radar, but very strong essay on the filibuster, and the undemocratic and perilous path that legislation takes through the Senate. With healthcare reform now held hostage to Joe Lieberman and the conserva-Dems in the Senate, Hayes argues that its time to end or amend the filibuster, which he calls "a cancer growing inside the world's greatest deliberative body." Steve Pearlstein picked up on the debate in the Washington Post this week, while others like Salon are also focusing increasing attention on this complex legislative impediment to change. Hayes (and Tom Geogeghan, writing earlier this year) got there first, but the movement to bust the filibuster is picking up steam.
Finally, "Going Rouge: An American Nightmare" is out on Tuesday and available (exclusively--no Amazon and no stores until December) at ORBooks.com. The book's editors, The Nation's Richard Kim and Betsy Reed, argue persuasively in their introduction that Sarah Palin is a problem ignored at all our peril. Her outsized role in the healthcare debate (and, we fear, in cap and trade) means that Palin-mania needs to be addressed not just as an issue of curiosity and celebrity, but more important as a matter of policy. That's why "Going Rouge" is such a critical book--it is fact-checking Governor Palin at every turn, and amplifying voices who might otherwise be smothered in Palin's softball media tour, where recording devices are banned and really vital questions about issues like global warming and healthcare might not otherwise be raised.
I'll be on CNN's Larry King Live on Monday night discussing the book, at 9PM ET. (And on MSNBC's The Ed Show talking healthcare at 6PM ET.) Naomi Klein will also be talking Palin--and her 10th Anniversary No Logo reissue--on Wednesday night's Joy Behar Show, and Betsy Reed and Richard Kim will be doing a host of online chats, radio and television throughout the week, including a "TPM Cafe" Book discussion over at Talking Points Memo. You'll want to check back here at TheNation.com as we fact-check Governor Palin throughout the week, highlighting instances where--as the AP put it--she "goes rogue with the facts."
Comments are welcome below. You can follow me on Twitter at Twitter.com/KatrinaNation.
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Katrina vanden Heuvel
Thoughts on politics, current affairs, riffs and reflections on what’s in the news and what’s not--but should be.
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The challenge for progressives is to get neocons pissed at corporations, for ex., those that provide abortion coverage to millions. Can you image Fox fomenting a teaparty on their downtown liberal - New York front door? This would actually be news.
Posted by winyahn at 11/15/2009 @ 5:06pm
How much of United Health Care's, Aetna's & BlueCross' CEO's zillions come from the abortion racket? How much are these unAmerican corporations swimming in unborn fallen patriot's blood money?
Posted by winyahn at 11/15/2009 @ 5:13pm
KvH: "......The Nation's Richard Kim and Betsy Reed, argue persuasively in their introduction that Sarah Palin is a problem ignored at all our peril."
Huh?
Didn't your top-tier writer John Nichols, say that Palin is "remarkably, overwhelmingly, mind-numbingly ordinary"?
Please make up your minds!
Posted by Happy at 11/15/2009 @ 8:46pm
"Plus: Why Palin Matters."
••
eek!
Posted by frosty zoom at 11/15/2009 @ 10:25pm
Please make up your minds!
Posted by Happy at 11/15/2009 @ 8:46pm |
happy,
please tell me
how sarah palin could hold back the nice gentlefolks at goldmorg citifed, llc
from wringing the american joedude drier than a riverside county aquifer.
i mean, look at oblahma. ms. palin's election would be the most ridiculous example of imperial masturbatory suicide in all of history's "grand" history.
SPOCK/UHURA '12 I Mean, What the Phu•?
Posted by frosty zoom at 11/15/2009 @ 11:01pm
So much for principles. Rev Bradgelina Happy Rio won't speak out against any corporation, not Goldman corruption, not BlueCross Babykillers. Only individuals can be bad.
Not even government could be bad for 8 years! Under Cheney-Bush govt response to Katrina was good. Those Superdome "victims" just had no American 'can do'!
Posted by winyahn at 11/15/2009 @ 11:16pm
no American 'can do'!
Posted by winyahn at 11/15/2009 @ 11:16pm
happy just can't be can"did".
Posted by frosty zoom at 11/15/2009 @ 11:44pm
"..a man noted of no good hap." Elizabeth I
Posted by Sorelish at 11/16/2009 @ 12:03am
happy just can't be can"did". Posted by frosty zoom at 11/15/2009 @ 11:44pm |
I'm not sure how a smart, `magic' poser is going to be improved by a not-smart, `ordinary' one.
Balloon lady masturbates to eager crowd of faithful followers...film at 11!
No questions please (you're being inappropriate).
Posted by snowball777 at 11/16/2009 @ 07:16am
What will become of our culture, as technology, cultural shifts and political changes reshape the world.
posted by Katrina vanden Heuvel on 11/15/2009 @ 4:35pm
Most likely, it will continue to follow the path of degenerate morals as it has for the past 40+ years. Thanks to Dewey's realization of removing religion from children's education and the anything goes morality that Marx envisioned, we have reprobate generations teaching new generations how to further deteriorate the moral fabric of our culture.
Posted by antisocialist at 11/16/2009 @ 09:06am
A Palin administration would be much better than the nut-burgers we have right now.
Posted by pyeatte at 11/16/2009 @ 10:39am
Seems they've already spotted the first LIES in Governor Palin's book over at HuffPost.
She claimed she had "no problem" with her appearance on Saturday Night Live....but memos obtained (likely with help from a pissed-off-for-being-her-scapegoats) McCain campaign...
show the exact opposite.
Plus David Brooks on "This Week" calling a "joke."
Now, Brooks has no pull with the Base (anti-, pyette, etc. think of him as a "RINO"), but he's influential IN the Party higher-ups and they know that if she were to get the nomination, Obama would win by 10+% and maybe 41-42 states.
Posted by Mask at 11/16/2009 @ 11:17am
Most likely, it will continue to follow the path of degenerate morals...
Posted by antisocialist at 11/16/2009 @ 09:06am
The righty moral compass, William J. Bennett.
Bill Bennett gambling losses reach $8 million.
The Bookie of Virtue.
The Moral Compass goes south!
The harder they RIGHT, the bigger they LIE.
---------------------------------------------------
Pastor Hagee (Megachurch Pastor John Hagee took $1.2 million dollars in benefits from his Cornerstone Church & television ministry GETV and basically laundered it through ...) reveals the seven spiritual principles that will help you rediscover the foundations of faith (his corruption scandal was squashed by all MSM networks during election) upon which all success in life is found. Amen.
Posted by winyahn at 11/16/2009 @ 12:26pm
Katrina vanden Heuvel,
In your analysis of why Sarah Palin matters, you left out the most important part. She will be President of the United States from 2013 to 2021.
Posted by sjchermak at 11/16/2009 @ 12:58pm
Most likely, it will continue to follow the path of degenerate morals as it has for the past 40+ years. Thanks to Dewey's realization of removing religion from children's education and the anything goes morality that Marx envisioned, we have reprobate generations teaching new generations how to further deteriorate the moral fabric of our culture.
Posted by antisocialist at 11/16/2009 @ 09:06am
Larry, it is not the state's responsibility to teach religion to children. It is the responsibility of parents and families to do that. I think anyone who understands the separation of church and state would acknowledge that, so evidently, you don't understand the separation of church and state.
Parents have the choice of sending their children to public or private schools. I went to a religious kindergarten, then entered public school. Religion has not been force fed to me, as you would evidently like it to be force fed to our children, or are you stating that parents don't know what they're doing when they choose the liberty of educating their children as they see fit?
Would you prefer to take away that liberty from parents in our society?
Posted by Stephen_Carver1 at 11/16/2009 @ 1:53pm
In your analysis of why Sarah Palin matters, you left out the most important part. She will be President of the United States from 2013 to 2021.
Posted by sjchermak at 11/16/2009 @ 12:58pm
My favorite George W. Bush quote seems apropos here: "Bring it on!"
I want to see Obama debate Sarah Palin.
Palin/God = 2012!
Posted by Stephen_Carver1 at 11/16/2009 @ 1:56pm
Posted by sjchermak at 11/16/2009 @ 12:58pm
Pretty sure, SJ doesn't believe that. He just thinks it "needles the libs to say it."
He's not that dumb.
Posted by Mask at 11/16/2009 @ 2:35pm
Stephen_Carver1,
Be careful what you wish for.
If they don't allow Obama to have a teleprompter in the debate, next-President Palin will mop the floor with Obama!
Seems like the GWB quote would be quite appropriate here. Wise man, he was.
Posted by sjchermak at 11/16/2009 @ 2:40pm
If they don't allow Obama to have a teleprompter in the debate, next-President Palin will mop the floor with Obama!
Posted by sjchermak at 11/16/2009 @ 2:40pm
Without teleprompters, I have little doubt there are a half dozen of us who can tear Magic to pieces. There isn't any question quite a few of us are knowledgeable on a broad range of real-world issues.
Magic would win if the debate topic is Alynsky or some such Lib theories.
Posted by Happy at 11/16/2009 @ 3:30pm
Without teleprompters, I have little doubt there are a half dozen of us who can tear Magic to pieces.
Posted by Happy at 11/16/2009 @ 3:30pm | ignore this person | warn this person
You've got a real negative obsession with this guy, don't you?
Even as you're doing so HAPPily because of him...$$$$
Posted by schnellerheinz at 11/16/2009 @ 3:38pm
You've got a real negative obsession with this guy, don't you? "-----Posted by schnellerheinz at 11/16/2009 @ 3:38pm
Obama Derangement Syndrome....heheh
Posted by Mask at 11/16/2009 @ 3:43pm
Posted by Mask at 11/16/2009 @ 3:43pm | ignore this person | warn this person
Yes.
When one talks about another in terms of "tearing them to pieces" (sic) there's some personal stuff going down there.
If he's brought so little change (and I am not saying he has) from the last Administration, why that level of rancor?
Unless, of course, it's "something else" about the guy.
Posted by schnellerheinz at 11/16/2009 @ 4:17pm
Be careful what you wish for.
If they don't allow Obama to have a teleprompter in the debate, next-President Palin will mop the floor with Obama!
Seems like the GWB quote would be quite appropriate here. Wise man, he was.
Posted by sjchermak at 11/16/2009 @ 2:40pm
Just like your heroine, you are a fool.
But then again, I will enjoy watching Sarah eat and spit out all of the moderate Republicans, long before she gets to Obama.
You seem to think that less than two years as Governor of Alaska (a job she quit so she could get rich quick) and a mayor's job in a small town will be able to best the experience of being President of the United States for four years. Like I said, you are a fool.
And anyone who thinks W was a wise man...well...it just makes me laugh.
Posted by Stephen_Carver1 at 11/16/2009 @ 5:32pm
Most likely, it will continue to follow the path of degenerate morals as it has for the past 40+ years. Thanks to Dewey's realization of removing religion from children's education and the anything goes morality that Marx envisioned, we have reprobate generations teaching new generations how to further deteriorate the moral fabric of our culture.
Posted by antisocialist at 11/16/2009 @ 09:06am | ignore this person | warn this person
Yea, its kind of hard to have to tell your children that most of what they learn in school is baseless leftist lies to confuse their righteous hearts,l and a sad commentary on public education!
Posted by BigPasture at 11/16/2009 @ 6:46pm
Posted by sjchermak at 11/16/2009 @ 2:40pm
You seem to think that less than two years as Governor of Alaska (a job she quit so she could get rich quick) and a mayor's job in a small town will be able to best the experience of being President of the United States for four years. Like I said, you are a fool.
Posted by Stephen_Carver1 at 11/16/2009 @ 5:32pm
You miss the importance of making decisions! It's something called `executive' experience where one makes the call and folks jump, including oneself.
Magic has never had this and it clearly showed with his first big deal, the PORK BILL....he essentially voted `present'.
With a few dozen key aids to manage the technicalities of Washington DC, I'm better qualified to be POTUS than The Messiah.
Posted by Happy at 11/16/2009 @ 7:33pm
Confusing bits of reality deserve elucidation:
1- Palin's resume. 2- The fact that there are so many smart boring rich old household-name white male wingnuts with mega resumes. 3- Palin's popularity.
Posted by winyahn at 11/16/2009 @ 7:44pm
ANSWER: Old evil farts know the lemmings will believe the lies even more completely when Bimbo tells them.
Posted by winyahn at 11/16/2009 @ 7:48pm
With a few dozen key aids to manage the technicalities of Washington DC, I'm better qualified to be POTUS than The Messiah. Posted by Happy at 11/16/2009 @ 7:33pm | ignore this person |
--deciding what futures to buy while you passively sit by waiting for a payday doesn't make you an "executive"
Posted by urmygyro at 11/16/2009 @ 11:39pm
Palin will NOT be the 2012 GOP nominee...her role will depend on what political acumen she reallly has-
if none? she runs and loses miserably as guys like Romney, Pawlenty, Gingrich, etc. show her for a lightweight in the Primary debates. Her star then falls to earth, never to rise.
if she and her followers "takes their ball and go home", i.e. demands Veep or a Cabinet post or (truly nutty) goes 3rd party/Indy or MUCh worse, keeps fighting for the nomination after the numbers are against her...aka "PUMA-II", she could cripple the GOP.
if she's smart? she plays "king-maker" and (after waiting until it was almost assured) endorsing the nominee and making it look like "She helped ____ get the nomination!" She then gets to move to Fox News...get a talk show...and be the titular head of the Republican Party, win or lose in 2012.
Posted by Mask at 11/17/2009 @ 07:58am
Santi-Kindly be quiet. Your theory refutes my educational experience and puts everything into an ideological space. Enough already,again kindly be quiet .You do not have the arbitrator skills to weigh liberal versus conservative research and application skills and their relationship upon education.Big Pissture ,you dribbled on yourself in your rush to judgment.My brother ,the educator,would shake his head at you two educator wanna be's with your curriculum's.Your heroes inadvertent rush towards greed was the trigger. We quit thinking about many disciplines and gravitated towards more lucrative fields helped along by words of "the Great Communicator".He helped change society for the worse with the emphasis on the individual. We now have the greatest economic disparity in the world.That's what happens when the emphasis of your society is money. That is not the educational philosophy.
Posted by whatozz at 11/17/2009 @ 08:29am
schnellerheinz,
You say up above:
"........If he's brought so little change (and I am not saying he has) from the last Administration, why that level of rancor?
Unless, of course, it's "something else" about the guy.........."
With your implication, once again, we have a lib throwing the race card.
Do you ever have any ability to stop yourselves from doing that, or is it a natural thing libs do not know how to control?
The level of rancor is because of:
1. The Obama Apology Tour.
2. The intention to close Gitmo.
3. The attempt to introduced socialist medicine, done in an arrogant manner trying as best as possible to bypass those in Congress not on his side of the political fence.
4. Proposed cap and trade efforts which will drive up the cost of energy and cause regulation in people's lives for something that scientists have not come to an agreement is even happening or is a problem.
5. Capitulating to Iran...eventually (unless Bibi Netanyahu is able to stop it) they will have a nuke.
6. Capitulating to Russia.
7. Supporting Palestinians over Israel in the Middle East.
9. and 11. Instead of terrorists being tried, convicted and executed in a military tribunal, they will be tried in a civilian court of law as though they were American citizens who committed civilian crimes. They will turn the trial into a farce, a showcase to condemn America. They will be doing this practically next door from two of their crimes. This will put that area back in the crosshairs for another terrorist attack. Governor Patterson says this is wrong and he is a Democrat.
IT SEEMS to ME, schnellerheinz, this represents a lot of changes from what has been done in the past.
Posted by sjchermak at 11/17/2009 @ 09:00am
Typo,
In item 9. and 11. up above I said:
".....They will be doing this practically next door from two of their crimes....."
I meant to say,
".....They will be doing this practically next door from two of the places they attacked....."
That is important I correct what I wrote. It is libs that treat these as crimes. They were attacks on America during the war the terrorists were waging on us, a war against us when at that point we had not started to fight back yet.
Posted by sjchermak at 11/17/2009 @ 09:05am
2. The intention to close Gitmo.----Posted by sjchermak at 11/17/2009 @ 09:00am
General David Petreaus says that is right....and was your "Surge" guy.
Posted by Mask at 11/17/2009 @ 09:15am
Santi-Kindly be quiet
Posted by whatozz at 11/17/2009 @ 08:29am
Last time I checked, this was still the US and all citizens have a right to express their opinions?
Posted by antisocialist at 11/17/2009 @ 09:26am
Mask,
===============
9. and 11. ......Instead of terrorists being tried, convicted and executed in a military tribunal, they will be tried in a civilian court of law as though they were American citizens who committed civilian crimes. They will turn the trial into a farce, a showcase to condemn America. They will be doing this practically next door from two of their crimes. This will put that area back in the crosshairs for another terrorist attack. Governor Patterson says this is wrong and he is a Democrat.
Posted by sjchermak at 11/17/2009 @ 09:00am
=============
Governor Patterson says this is wrong and he is a Democrat. He is your Governor guy.
Posted by sjchermak at 11/17/2009 @ 09:42am
Sarah Palin matters because it has you discussing her no matter what your position is. she cannot lose now because the crouching in the corner liberals fear her for some unknown reason. All she has done is tell her beliefs on subject matter she is asked about; but as the extremes of ideology twisters always react in a name calling, lie infested rhetoric aimed at her personnally, not professionally as should be the case. Sixteen months ago she was a governor in Alaska, unknown outside of her area; but like by the majority of Alaskas citizens. She said yes to McCain and has been under an uncalled for sexist, verbal assault on her and her family ever since. Other women are jealous of her looks, popularity, position, family and love of the American people and USA. Otherwise you would have showed her book with the correct title ROGUE not rouge you lowlifes. Her lipstick and rouge keeps her apart from the pigs that wear lipstick and write for a commie paper.
Posted by ConstitutionDave at 11/20/2009 @ 09:22am