Just over a week ago, United States Attorney General Eric Holder announced that he would be bringing five of the suspects in the 9/11 attacks to New York to stand trial in federal civilian court. These suspects are Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Waleed bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Mustafa Ahmad [...]
Are women under attack? That seems to be the question hanging in the air after the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued new guidelines for Pap smear testing right on the heels of the new mammography guidelines issued earlier this week. One has to question the wisdom of the [...]
One of the reasons Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was able to scrape her version of health care reform by earlier this month was because of concessions she made to the moderates in her party, concerning abortion. Those concessions were due, in large part, to the [...]
This post is a bit unusual, in that I came to write it as part of a blog campaign. It is something I normally do not participate in, but I felt this warranted an exception. Today is Universal Youth Day and it is fitting that bloggers across the world are [...]
One of the most publicized decisions President Obama has made since taking office has been his order to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It was a decision that was heralded by most of the world, as the prison is very unpopular, and by the liberals [...]
First let me say that I was as surprised by the new recommendations as anybody. I am deeply involved in the fight against cancer as a member of the board of a major cancer center. It is generally agreed that screening for all forms of cancer, other than pap tests [...]
When the House of Representatives passed their version of health care legislation earlier this month, I did some very extensive reading of the final version of their bill. (Final as in before they reconcile with the Senate.) At at time, I wrote an article detailing some of the things [...]
Who says lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place? Do you remember the Maersk Alabama and the ordeal they faced in April? They were hijacked off the coast of Somalia and the crew fought back, recapturing their ship. The pirates managed to keep Captain Richard [...]
Well, here I go again, treading waters where I probably have no business swimming in. I was very
President Obama bows to the Japanese
busy over the weekend with computer problems and was unable to keep up with the news. Imagine my surprise when [...]
What is it about some of us that we can not be civil to one another? This question is prompted by an article I just read from The Associated Press, concerning the upcoming trial in New York of Heather Ellis. Ms. Ellis is an African-American and [...]
A Senate bill to overhaul financial regulations was issued last week and a similar bill from the House is expected soon. The White House issued a proposal for financial reform back in June and the GOP responded with a counter plan in July. So there are lots of things on [...]
They’re baaaaaack!!! Those pesky perpetrators of prostitution and perniciousness are fighting back — and they have a very strong case. Seriously folks, if you thought, or hoped, that the government’s action to defund Acorn would shut them up, and shut them down, then you will be dismayed [...]
As the deadline for the Obama administration to decide how to deal with the detainees at Guantanamo Bay approaches, it is being reported that five of them will be moved to the United States and will stand trial in civilian federal court in New York. The men [...]
The health care bill narrowly passed by the House this weekend has raised the ire of liberal Democrats who view concessions on abortion funding included in the Stupak-Pitts amendment as an attack on women. Congresswoman Nita Lowey said the amendment “puts new restrictions on women’s access to abortion coverage in [...]
Much ado was made last year about the Mormon church’s support of Proposition 8 in California, which basically took away the right of homosexuals to marry. The vicious backlash from homosexual advocates was something the Mormon church simply had to endure, as they were not about to change their position [...]
What is the role of the Supreme Court? Here’s what Article III Section 2 of the Constitution says: “In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be party, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases before [...]
I thought I would not be revisiting the shooting at Fort Hood so soon, but as the investigation into what happened begins to unfold, I think there are some things that merit mentioning.
First of all, the shooting at Fort Hood had nothing to do with post traumatic [...]
Last week the President signed a new $24 billion stimulus bill including measures to extend jobless benefits, to provide tax relief for struggling businesses, and to expand the homebuyer’s tax credit introduced earlier this year. The measure passed the Senate unanimously (98-0) and the House overwhelmingly (403-12) and was signed [...]
As a disclaimer, let me state categorically that I am not trying to bash the Catholic Church with this article.
If there is one thing the Catholic Church is known for, it is it’s secrecy. I am not versed at all in their religious proceedings, but the first thing I think [...]
I knew there was a reason I liked Joe Lieberman. With the House passing their version of health care reform late Saturday night, the battle over how to reform the system moves to the Senate and conservatives seem to have an ally in the Democrat turned [...]
Throughout the day Saturday, one could never tell what was about to happen. First, there was news that President Obama would be traveling to Capital Hill to woo Democrats who were thinking about voting against the health care legislation Nancy Pelosi was trying to pass. Then came [...]
As the aftermath of the shooting at Fort Hood begins to unfold and more details are released, one thing is apparent. There are a lot of questions and no so many answers. It is now known that Major Nidal Malik Hasan is still alive and is in stable condition. The [...]
Even though I made the decision to cover breaking news and current events after the 2008 Presidential election was over, I hate writing about happenings such as this.
Around 1:30 PM this afternoon, a soldier went on a shooting rampage at Fort Hood, TX and at the last count, 12 people [...]
Remember how Barack Obama and his hordes of aides descended on Washington, D.C. before he even took the oath of office and began making the push and the sell for a massive economic stimulus package? To the tune of $787 billion, they told the American people that [...]
As the news coverage of the GOP wins in Virginia and New Jersey continues, it is clear November 3rd was a big day for the Republican Party. Even though they lost the congressional seat in New York, they managed to pull off big wins in both of the previously mentioned [...]
It is a well known fact that voters in the New England area of our country are more independent than most and tend to vote more on the liberal side of the political spectrum. That statement is not meant to be a slam towards those voters, just [...]
Does anyone remember how it was last year around this same time? Barack Obama had just won the White House, due in no small part to a large influx of new voters, people who usually did not participate in the election process. For weeks now, we have heard how today, [...]
For most of this year, it seems all I have written about has been the health care reform debate. Every time I turn around, there is something new to add to the discussion and even though I get tired of writing about the same old song and dance, it is [...]
There was a story out last month about Hyatt Hotels’ mistreatment of its housekeeping staff in three Boston hotels that I let pass due to the more engrossing health care reform debate. There was yet another editorial in todays paper, however, and so I thought it was time [...]
I have been out of the news loop for most of the weekend, due to having other obligations and it appears that I have missed a lot. Mike has already written about the struggle between the conservative and moderate factions of the Republican Party and how this struggle is [...]
News stories began to break over last weekend about a tragic turn of events at a homecoming dance at a Northern California high school last Saturday. I have yet to write about this case and have no intentions of getting into the specifics, but I have been watching it with [...]
Since the advent of mobile browsing seems to be growing stronger and because I have seen several visits from mobile devices, I have decided to make Political Realities as mobile friendly as possible. I have installed a plugin that should allow those of you who are using mobile devices to [...]
I know, I know, this is an unusual post for me. I do not generally write about sports related issues, but as I begin to hear and read about the hearings held by Congress today, I decided to make an exception.
Those of you who do not know me personally have [...]
Early reports this morning are saying that a major explosion has taken place in Peshawar, Pakistan, killing at least 80 people, with the death toll expected to go higher. Care to take a guess at where the bomb went off? It was at a women’s market. According [...]
The race for the NY congressional seat left vacant when President Obama named moderate Republican John McHugh secretary of the Army has become the epicenter in the fight over the soul of the GOP. The county GOP chairmen chose moderate Dede Scozzafava as their nominee and tea party conservatives, with [...]
Earlier this month, Mike wrote an article that talked about the decision of Olympia Snowe to support the health care legislation and help it proceed from committee. Consequently, she was the only Republican to vote for the bill that came out of the Senate Finance [...]
What is the first thing you think of when you hear a nation or an individual has committed human rights abuses? If you are like me, you think about war crimes or genocide. Countries such as Burma and Iran come to mind. Imagine my surprise to learn that the United [...]
As you are probably aware, there is a very heated debate going on in our country over the need for health care reform. It was one of the main agendas that Barack Obama ran on and with Democrats controlling Congress, it seems a given that some sort [...]
The NY Times ran a remarkable five part series this week called “Held by the Taliban” written by David Rohde, the Times reporter who, along with an Afghan journalist and his driver, spent over 7 months in Taliban captivity before escaping in June. Rohde’s account of his capture, [...]
Here is a formula for you. Take greed and bad business practices in equal parts and mix it with companies who were deemed “to big to fail”. Once stirred together, combine the resulting mix with $700 billion in bailout money. After baking for several months, what do [...]
I’m not sure how I missed this story but maybe many of you did as well. Two weeks ago Sen. Al Franken introduced an amendment to the 2010 Defense Appropriations Bill that would withhold defense contracts from companies like Halliburton if they forced employees into arbitration, rather than allowing criminal [...]
As the debate over how to reform our health care system rages on, there has been one part of the argument that has been largely ignored. The Republican Party has been pushing for some sort of tort reform, in an effort to curb the costs of medical malpractice suits and [...]
Over last weekend, I began reading different news stories about the appointment of Kevin Jennings as assistant deputy for the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, U.S. Department of Education and the opposition of Republicans in Washington. The man has been a well known homosexual activist for years and some [...]
If there is one thing the sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona is not, it is afraid of the federal authorities who continue to tell him to stop the law enforcement sweeps that have netted several arrests of illegal aliens. Sheriff Joe Arpaio has made news before, with his tough stance [...]
You could say I am a bit behind the times with this story, as it has already been posted all over the Internet. I suppose my attentions have been focused elsewhere, but even at that I should have already written about this. As I live in Oklahoma, I think it [...]
I have followed politics for a long time and I have to say I have not seen such a disagreement between a single administration and a news organization as I see between the current White House and FOX News. It is getting to the point that it is slightly ridiculous.
President [...]
Here is a first for you. The news came out today that there would be no cost of living adjustment in Social Security payments next year. Using a formula I can’t even begin to understand, the Labor Department has determined that the cost of living has actually went down (I [...]
On Tuesday Senator Olympia Snowe made a hard decision – she went against her party and voted in favor of the Senate Finance Committee legislation on health care reform. In her comments prior to the vote Snowe said, “…the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress [...]
Can I help it if I am proud to have Tom Coburn as one of our Senators from Oklahoma? The good doctor from Muskogee is at it again.
Anyone who has followed Coburn’s political career will know that he has two major issues that he cares deeply about. [...]
The Mojave National Preserve covers 1.6 million acres in Southern California and is managed by the National Park Service (NPS). In 1934 the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars erected a cross at Sunrise Rock in the Mojave to honor Americans who died in combat in World War [...]
Let’s see now, Congress hasn’t even finished work on health care reform and now the House of Representatives is taking up another issue that has been a priority of President Obama. In my opinion, one of the main reasons Obama won the election against John McCain was the complete and [...]
I really don’t have time to do an in-depth article about this, but I have to give it mention. In what appears to be the first move of the health insurance industry not playing nice with health care reform. They have released a report that is not [...]
In a case of “you would’ve thought they would’ve been smarter than this”, two state workers at the Oklahoma Governor’s Mansion have been fired as allegations of rape have emerged. The alleged rapes occurred between March 2008 and January 2009, but they were not reported until [...]
The First Amendment is getting a close look by the Supreme Court this session. I’ve already written here about the challenge to corporate “speech” and the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform laws in the Hillary: The Movie case. Last week the Court heard two cases involving the placement of a [...]
A lot of people, myself included have questioned George W. Bush about the war in Iraq. I have always liked the man, but that didn’t keep me from questioning the validity of sending our troops into the country and removing Saddam Hussein from power. Not that I was a great [...]
On November 4, 2008, when it became clear that Barack Obama would be the next President of the United States, there was a lot of reaction from both his opponents and his supporters. This reaction stemmed from the fact that he had promised a lot of people a lot of [...]
Here is a story about something I would have never considered doing to my family growing up, no matter how upset and angry I was. A teenager from Falmouth, Massachusetts is in some serious trouble after throwing himself a temper tantrum after his cell phone was taken away by his [...]
Imagine my surprise this morning when I first started scanning the news stories on my home page. The story at the top was explaining how President Barack Obama has just been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I am honestly shocked at the news.
As I began to read the story, I [...]
Rain, rain, please go away. That’s how a lot of us feel in Oklahoma right now. Yes, I know that we can’t control the weather and it rains on whom it will. It just seems that the rain will never stop. In the last three days, we [...]
It seems that one can not read, watch, or listen to the news these days without finding a story about a sex offender. I mean no disrespect to any woman who has been raped, but it seems the ones we hear about most are those offenders who are guilty of [...]
I suppose this could also go in my Technology category, but given the ramifications, I thought I should put it on the front page. A very fierce battle of words has been raging over how much regulation the Internet should have. With the advent of blogging, it is very [...]
Of all the questions that have been raised during the ongoing debate over health care reform, I believe the question in the title of this article has been addressed the least. The real reason millions of Americans do not have health care insurance is because they can [...]
I don’t normally write about things like this, but this story is simply too good to pass up. In the “makes me shake my head in disbelief” department, The Associated Press is reporting that an Alabama woman was stopped and arrested Sunday while driving down a state highway. Her [...]
I wrote a few days ago about President Obama and the decision he has to make about sending more troops to Afghanistan.General Stanley McChrystal has requested some 40,000 additional forces to combat the rise in violence as the Taliban continues their struggle to return to power. [...]
Senator Max Baucus has announced that the Senate Finance Committee, which he chairs, has finished their work on the proposed health care reform legislation and it is now ready for a final vote. Once it has cleared the committee, it will go to the floor of the [...]
Oh, the wonders of technology. Everywhere we turn, there it is. From Model A cars, we have progressed to vehicles that tell you where you need to turn and will alert the authorities if you have a crash. They can even unlock your car remotely, if you [...]
Do you remember June 26 of last year. The Supreme Court finally handed down it’s ruling in the District of Columbia v. Heller case concerning the district’s outright ban on handguns. When that ruling was delivered, it was known that it would not be a blanket decision [...]
It sounds like deja vu, but a quake deep under the South Pacific Ocean has triggered a tsunami that has swept across the Samoas. Early reports have the dead at 99 and dozens of people are missing. The quake registered at a magnitude of between 8.0 and [...]
During his campaign for President in 2007-2008, Barack Obama stated repeatedly that he believed the war in Iraq was a mistake. His reasoning for that belief was that Afghanistan was where we should have focused our attention. While he may have been correct, I am left to wonder at the [...]
As I was reading different news stories this morning, I was struck by how much immigration, both illegal and otherwise was in the news. The Associated Press had two different articles this morning that covered parts of the issue.
The first one I read was about how the [...]
Is there any doubt left that Iran is working to gain every advantage they can before the talks between them and six other major power in Geneva on Thursday? We have already discussed the implications of Iran having a second uranium enrichment facility and now the stakes have been [...]
I was recently reading a blog post dealing with racism when I read a question posted by a reader addressing two very minor parts of the blog site. The post on racism accused liberals of intentionally keeping blacks “down” by giving them welfare, food stamps, etc in order to keep [...]
Does it seem like Iran is determined to be in the news every day? Maybe not to anyone else, but I am beginning to get that feeling. From the United Nations General Assembly to their nuclear program, there is always something to discuss about this country in [...]
There has been increasing discussion in the global financial markets about imposing a transaction tax on all stock, bond, futures, options, foreign exchange, and derivatives trades. Several leading European political figures in countries including France and Germany have proposed some form of tax with money going toward either the UN [...]
If you know the meaning of the word “negotiations”, raise your hand. I am beginning to think that some in Congress do not, namely Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. For her and those of us who need to freshen up their word power, negotiations is the process of conferring [...]
I was reading and listening to the news last night and this morning and I was intrigued by the number of articles that detailed the meeting arranged by President Obama between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The two leaders have been at great odds with [...]
As most of you know by now, My Take has added a second contributor. It is a decision I didn’t dream of making when I started blogging. Even though Mike and I disagree on some of the issues, I have not regretted that decision. For his first article, Mike chose [...]
Chris Dodd is up for reelection next year and polls showing him vulnerable have swelled the ranks of Republicans prepared to challenge him. This week Linda McMahon, CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment and wife of WWE Chairman and wrestling impresario Vince McMahon, threw her hat in the ring. A brief review [...]
Over the past several weeks, I have been listening to and reading the news and reading blogs, etc. as the rhetoric over health care reform and other policies of the Obama administration heats up even further. Both sides of the debate are going back and forth like a couple of [...]
Are you in the need for something more for breakfast than biscuits and gravy? Do you need more than food to provide a pick-me-up? No problem, just go to Sallisaw, OK and make a request at the Hardee’s drive-thru window. According to The Sequoyah County' [...]
If you have not noticed the new tag line for my blog, it says “above all, in search of the truth”. I do my best to make sure that happens on My Take. I have been a very open critic of President Obama but I have also [...]
You would think by now I’d be immune to the affects of stories of political hypocrisy but two stories in the news this week have really got my stomach churning. They aren’t new but both have returned to the headlines due to recent events. The first involves the mayoral race [...]
As the public outrage grows over the actions of the Association for Community Reform Now (ACORN), it appears that Congress is following the public’s lead on the issue. Since tapes surfaced last week of ACORN employees trying to figure out how to circumvent tax laws, in order [...]
If you are not familiar with Oklahoma politics, we have term limits on how long someone can sit in the Governor’s office. Two four year terms and you are out. As Democratic Governor Brad Henry can not seek another term, we Okies will elect a new governor on November 2, [...]
I suppose you could say I have had this rolling around in my head for several days, possibly several months. There is something going on in America that has me very disturbed and that is the unfounded charges of racism that are being thrown at anyone [...]
There has been much discussion in the past year about reducing the drinking age to 18. The “21” law took effect in 1987 and imposed on states that did not comply a 10% reduction in state highway funds. The simplest argument for “18” is straightforward: in America [...]
By now, nearly everyone in America should be well aware of President Obama’s speech before Congress a week ago Wednesday night. The speech was made even more memorable because of South Carolina Republican Joe Wilson’s outburst of “you lie”, which was made in response to the President’s [...]
I have already written about some of the details of the Senate health care plan that is to be proposed in a matter of days, especially concerning the fines suggested by Senator Max Baucus. I was hoping those fines would fall by the wayside, [...]
If there was any real doubt left as to the nature of business conducted by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), I think it can be laid to rest. At every turn, this group seems to be up to some very nefarious business practices. Although it has [...]
As the debate over health care and the need for reform rages on, certain parts of the plan are beginning to take shape. Even though there are at least three different plans in the House of Representatives and one plan in the Senate (it’s due to be released next week), [...]
As I get older, it feels like time is moving faster. I know that is not true, but that’s the way it feels. Everyone has a daily routine, whether it is going to work or school or doing work around the house. As we become involved in those daily routines, [...]
Let me be up front and say that I am sick of this debate about health care reform and what the legislation does or does not contain. I have tried to be open minded and fair in the articles I write and have even defended parts of the legislation that [...]
President Obama has finally made his much anticipated speech before a joint session of Congress, in an attempt to address health care reform and the partisan bickering that has been so prevalent in the last several weeks. As I watched the live feed of the speech on [...]
The Department of Homeland Security has two threat measures: the national threat level is currently at Yellow or Elevated meaning a “significant risk of terrorist attacks” while the risk level for all domestic and international flights is at Orange or High meaning a “high risk or terrorist attacks.” My personal [...]
As the debate over health care reform returns to the forefront of the news, President Obama is preparing a speech to a joint session of Congress tomorrow night. That esteemed body has just returned from it’s summer recess and even with numerous meetings and teleconferences between negotiators, a compromise has [...]
Does it seem odd to anyone else that the organization who controls over 40% of the oil production in the world holds in their hands the power to cause the price of said oil to rise or fall, as they see fit? I know this is not a new thing, [...]
No, not in Israel. Right here in New York City. The NY Post had a remarkable front page photo of six rabbis in a synagogue with guns pointed in proper firing position with a screaming headline “Chosen Guns” (a wordplay on ‘chosen ones’) and a subheadline saying “Don’t mess with [...]
