Taking One For The Team

Today is the deadline.  Chrysler’s stakeholders have to agree to a restructuring plan or a threatened Chapter 11 will occur.  There appears to be a good chance that the name Chrysler and its brands will survive although under totally new ownership.  The final hours, however, could hold surprises. The unknowns are whether the hedge funds [...]

The Prophesy of Arlen Specter

Yesterday, Senator Arlen Specter announced he was changing political parties and would exit the Republican Party in favor of the Democratic Party.  Was this the beginning of the end for Republicans? Unlikely in my opinion but probably the end of being a main stream party with a legitimate chance to govern from a majority position [...]

Woman Beating, Anyone?

Senate Republican leaders are taking aim once more at their feet, and it seems Governor Kathleen Sebelius may be in the way.  Sebelius has been nominated by President Obama to become the next Secretary of Health and Human Services.  Kansas Governor Sebelius who was elected twice by Kansas voters, who usually vote Republican, has received [...]

Preening and Posturing

“Preening and Posturing” writes Bill Kristol in a May 4th dated article which I read in the on line Weekly Standard.  “Throwing those who guard us while we sleep to the wolves”, Kristol explained.  Kristol, who as a leading neoconservative, provide plenty of space and ideas for the Bush “chicken hawks” and goaded them into [...]

Automotive Sickness

The current drama, no it is a tragedy, that is playing out with the US automotive industry is extremely sad to see.  You may be reacting and thinking that these companies more than deserve their fates.  You may be thinking that the dinosaurs had their chance to evolve but did not.  In the past they [...]

GM and Chrysler Pensions

News reports have said that the Obama team has promised the UAW that their pensions and healthcare will be protected in whatever manner the current restructuring efforts end.  This is both troubling and admirable, depending upon the definition of “protected”. GM and Chrysler have been asking the UAW to match the work rules and the [...]

Was Biden Right?

I do not mean “right” in the usual sense of being conservative.  I mean it in the sense of being correct about US foreign policy during the last Administration.  The detour through Iraq is looking like it will continue to be a costly and dangerous mistake (aside from its illegality under International Law).  The danger [...]

Special Prosecutor

There are some future events you can predict are coming even when it is early in a process.  The appointment of a “special prosecutor” whose duties would be to investigate whether the torture memos violated, or led to violations of US law is very likely to happen.  As more and more information is made public [...]

Did They Just Happen?

The sharks are gathering and so they should.  The release of the “torture” memos and President Obama’s promise not prosecute those CIA agents who may have used the described techniques have quickly focused most everyone’s attention on the lawyers who composed them and on the top officials who might have ordered or highly influenced the [...]

The Chicken Hawk Cackles

Late last week, the Justice Department released several of the infamous “torture” memos.  Republican Congressional leaders denounced the release as intentional slander against the Bush (and by relationship the Republican leaders themselves) Administration.  The Obama Administration said it was important to clear the air and make clear to the CIA that this type of behavior [...]