United States
Russian Facebook Ads Targeted American Voters by Exploiting Racial Tensions on Both Sides
Last week, the US House Intelligence Committee released approximately 3,517 Facebook ads purchased by the Russians between 2015-17, meant to influence the 2016 election, all of which are available to download. USA Today conducted a study of the ads and concluded that more than ...read more
New California Movement Proposes to Split Golden State
Yesterday, Robert Paul Preston and Tom Reed launched “New California,” a movement that would make the rural, inland part of California into the nation’s fifty-first state while leaving the coastal cities to their own devices (but keeping San Diego for themselves.) This is the ...read more
MEMBERS ONLY: Millennials Want a Third Party. Here's What That Says About Our Education System.
The Millennials cannot practice what they are not taught, and over the last twenty years, middle school and high school civics classes have fallen at disturbing rates... To continue reading this article, please go here. You'll get unrestricted access to all our member's content, ...read more
The Real Winner in Virginia Last Night - Paper Ballots
Last night's elections in Virginia were a stunning victory for the Democrats. As I reported on Monday, voters in the commonwealth didn't care about Donna Brazile and DNC fundraising squabbles: they were too busy organizing to usher into power their new governor, Ralph Northam, ...read more
MEMBERS ONLY: The Fascism of Stephen Miller
Benjamin Zuskin couldn't sleep. The year was 1952, and as a former member of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee in Moscow, he knew that Stalin could come for him at any moment... To continue reading this article, please go here. A Banter Membership gets you access to the magazine ...read more
The Left Needs to Acknowledge Its Sexism, Part Two: Kamala Harris Edition
Note: the following is the second in an ongoing series about the sexism problem on the left. To read the first of these pieces, click here. I’ve been dissatisfied with Bernie Sanders’ supporters since he announced his campaign back in June of 2015, not because I was angry that ...read more
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The True Capital of Prisons
In the murky swamp waters of Louisiana, there lies an experiment that has been cooking up for the past 20 years. Created and conducted without the public's consent, it is an experiment, which if successful, could serve as the prototype for other states and other countries. ...read more
With a Friend Like Netanyahu, Who Wants a Friend In the First Place?
When it was reported last week that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had told U.S. officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry "not to ever second guess me again" regarding Hamas and ceasefire talks, even those aware of the sycophantic nature of U.S. policy ...read more
Watch the Israeli Military Destroy Several Buildings In No Time
As the Israeli military continues its assault on Gaza and those involved and caught up in the conflict prepare for a prolonged campaign, dramatic video purporting to show Israeli airstrikes has surfaced. It shows a complex of buildings in Gaza being virtually leveled to the ...read more
Thank You, GOP. Your Crazy Talk Knows No Bounds
There's no way to top these comments so I am not even going to try. Congressman Michael Burgess (R-TX), who is a medical doctor, thinks that abortion should be banned before 20 weeks because fetuses as young as 15 weeks can feel pleasure and pain. His proof? He has seen ...read more
Obama Is Reading Your Email
It's true. President Obama has all the time in the world to read your email. Here's proof! Politicohas this story about how photos of the president looking over people's shoulders has gone viral, you know, he wasn't getting enough intel on you from your phone records. And if ...read more
The Sequester and You: WIC
The program known as "Women, Infants and Children" (WIC) is officially the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Their web site can be found here. The site describes the program this way: "The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, ...read more
Lying Liars and the Lying Liars who Love Them
If you lie to Congress, it is a crime. It’s called perjury. You may remember that when Roger Clemens did it, he barely escaped two counts of it. And you should remember that the official reason President Bill Clinton was impeached was because of perjury (you know, it had ...read more
Just Remember that when Congress Doesn't Do its Job, You Pay for It.
Few things are more irritating than stupidity. What makes this even more annoying is knowing you are paying for it. Congressman Eric Cantor has scheduled a vote this week repealing "Obamacare." His proposal's chances of passing the Senate and/or being signed into law by ...read more
International Women's Day Should Matter More in the US
In all the hoopla about James O'Keefe and Rand Paul's filibuster (still support him on that), I completely forgot aout International Women's Day (IWD), which was yesterday. I was impressed to read the list of countries who now recognize the day. IWD has been observed since the ...read more
My Democratic Bona Fires on my Butt
Seeing as my post supporting Senator Rand Paul's (R-KY) filibuster on Wednesday, received some responses that made me feel like my Democratic bona fides were being questioned, I thoughtI would respond and am am showing them to you. This photo is a tattoo I have. It is the ...read more
Mr. Paul Goes to Washington
He may not be Mr. Smith but Senator Rand Paul did exactly what I like to see Senators do, he executed an old school filibuster. Sorry, Bob Cesca but I read the Eric Holder letter and to be honest, I think Paul has a point. Here's the actual letter. The language that started ...read more
Of Matters of War and Peace, Part Two: The Sec Def & the Draft
Elections have consequences, Chuck Hagel deserves an up or down vote on his nomination. Republicans in the Senate have never been thrilled by President Obama’s decision to nominate former Senator Chuck Hagel as his new Secretary of Defense. Their reasons have varied from his ...read more
The New Republican Vision has no Vision
In what was ostensibly the launch of 'Republicanism 2.0' young guns Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio both gave 'vision' speeches at the Jack Kemp Foundation dinner last week, spelling out their revamped conservatism they hope to sell the American public. Michael Tomasky was not ...read more
Fly to Mars. For $1.5 Billion
I'm not sure the market is particularly big for this, but if I had a spare $1.5 billion, I'd definitely be up for this: A team of former Nasa executives is launching a private venture to send people to the moon. For $1.5bn (£940m), the newly formed Golden Spike is offering ...read more
The Future Economy in America: Working in McDonalds
By Ben Cohen: If you are reading this website, you're most likely to be educated, white and economically middle to upper middle class (at least that's what our demographics tracking software tells us). The opportunities for you in the workplace are probably pretty varied - you ...read more
Quote of the Day: Who Really Owns America?
In order to whip up a good bit of Red fear in America, politicians and pundits like to proclaim loudly that China 'owns America'. While China does hold a good portion of US debt, it isn't the Communist behemoth that 'owns America', it's actually still Japan. Writes Daniel Gross ...read more
The Daily Banter Exclusive: Ahmed Shihab-Eldin on why Arianna Huffington took a big Risk Hiring a Palestinian
By Ben Cohen: Regardless of whose side you take in the Israeli Palestinian crisis, there is no denying that the Jewish state has been far better at the public relations game than the Palestinians have ever been. There are many well funded pro Israel groups in the US that have ...read more
Right-Wing English Lesson #1: Carrying the Day
By Ari Rutenberg: I keep wondering what dictionary the Republicans use, because while it appears that they are speaking the same English I'm familiar with, when you actually parse the language, it makes no sense whatsoever. Much like a Diddy rap song or Aerosmith lyrics, it ...read more
Did Republican Chief Strategist Actually Believe Voters Liked Mitt Romney?
I'm not sure how I missed this incredible gem, but if you want to understand why the Republicans lost the election this year, look no further than Stuart Steven's astonishing article in The Washington Post last week. In probably the best example of the fantasy thinking that has ...read more
International Community Responds Scathingly to Israel's New Settlement Plan
Israel is feeling the heat from the international community after declaring it would build 3000 new settlement homes on Palestinian territory, with the UN going as far as calling the move as 'an almost fatal blow' to to the peace process. From the BBC: Britain and France have ...read more
Glenn Greenwald Rants against Progressive Media. Again.
By Ben Cohen: In an incredibly long winded and monotonous rant on his Guardian blog Glenn Greenwald lambasts the progressive media for making hollow promises to hold President Obama more accountable after beating Mitt Romney in the general election. Greenwald makes some ...read more
Religious Right Environment 'Expert': "Not Using Fossil Fuels Is An Insult To God"
Discussing the existence of God and quoting the bible is generally a harmless thing to do (if it isn't rammed down children's throats and taught as absolute fact), but using religious scripture to dismiss hard scientific evidence that burning fossil fuels is directly responsible ...read more
Israel Authorizes 3000 Illegal Settlement Homes in Response to Palestinian Statehood
It wasn't enough for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to push the peace process back by assaulting Gaza and inflicting massive a massive humanitarian disaster on the area - he is now authorizing the construction of 3,000 illegal settlement homes in the West Bank and East ...read more
With Changing Demographics, Voter Suppression is only Tactic left for Republicans
By Ben Cohen: We discuss the topic of Republican voter suppression in this weeks mailbag, but I thought it was worth expanding on a little given how serious the issue is. A reader asked whether we thought that the Republican's admission that they tried to stop minorities from ...read more
Quote/Headline of the Day: Romney the White Turkey
Gawker's John Cook on the much discussed lunch between President Obama and Mitt Romney in an article titled 'Barack Obama Ate Some White Turkey With a White Turkey Today': On the menu was "Southwestern grilled chicken salad," according to a readout released by the White House ...read more
U.N Set to Recognize Palestine as Official State
This could turn out to be an incredibly important vote that legitimizes Palestine as an official state. The vote is an explicit endorsement from the international community for the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, and regaining ...read more
Republicans no Longer Benefit from Bad Economy
Michael Cohen in the Guardian makes a persuasive argument that Republicans don't have much to gain by holding the economy to ransom again during the 'fiscal cliff' negotiations: In the end, neither side has all that much to gain from dragging the fiscal cliff argument out. Now ...read more
Republicans Breaking Rank on Fiscal Cliff
It's too early to claim victory, but the GOP's unified front in regards to taxation appears to be breaking. From the Guardian: Cracks in Republican opposition to tax rises for the wealthy grew bigger on Wednesday as Barack Obama increased pressure on the party to accept a deal to ...read more
Corporate PR Journalist Megan McArdle Bashes Walmart Protests
By Ben Cohen: The Daily Beast's Megan McArdle is not a very good economist - or writer for that matter. Despite her impressive resume (she was a senior editor at the Atlantic and a writer for the Economist), if you try to draw logical conclusions from her confusing articles, ...read more
David Frum Mentions the Unmentionable: Obama's Economic Plan is Working
By Ben Cohen: The best way to know whether a theory works or not is to test it in the field. In economics we get to see this happen whenever a new government comes into power and implements their particular ideology. There are two major economic theories industrialized nations ...read more
Conservative Hero of the Week: Joe Scarborough
Why never raising taxes has become rigid doctrine in Republican ideology is anyone's guess, but it continues to look like the orthodoxy is finally beginning to crack. Senators Lindsey Graham and Saxby Chambliss have both come out against Grover Norquist's pledge to never raise ...read more
Attacks on Susan Rice Were Sexist and Racist
By Ben Cohen: It is hard to watch group of elderly white conservative men attacking a black woman for political purposes and not believe race or gender has something to do with it. Susan Rice, the US Ambassador to the UN and next inline for Secretary of State after Hillary ...read more
Republican New Ideas: Pretend not to be Conservative
By Ben Cohen: Oliver Willis posted a short but insightful piece on his blog over the weekend outlining the Republicans strategy for getting elected. Titled: 'Conservatives Realize They Have To Lie About Conservatism To Be Elected', Willis argued that the only way they can get ...read more
Quote of the Day: Self Harming Israel
Andrew Sullivan decries Israel's self harming policies that he believes will eventually lead to its demise: Without diplomacy toward a two-state solution, we are looking at a lifetime of constant Israeli warfare against all of its neighbors, deeper isolation in the region (with ...read more
Can Obama Stop the Israeli Assault on Gaza?
By Ben Cohen "The goal of the operation is to send Gaza back to the Middle Ages. Only then will Israel be calm for forty years," - Eli Yishai, Israel's Interior Minister The continued Israeli assault on the Gaza strip that now counts 96 Palestinians dead, 50 of them ...read more
Shooting Fish in a Barrel: Matt Taibbi Takes on Tom Friedman (Again)
It really is a guilty pleasure, but I do love it when clever, funny writers take on not so clever, humorless writers. Intellectual slap downs are like junk food to journalists, and Matt Taibbi has provided years of unhealthy food to people like myself, largely at the expense of ...read more
Bill O'Reilly's Severe Cognitive Dissonance
In an astonishing segment on his show, Bill O'Reilly goes on a rant about 'far Left' elements in America that can only be described as an epic bout of cognitive dissonance. The segment starts with O'Reilly plays a clip of himself pre-election stating that: "20 years ago, ...read more
Finally, a Balanced Discussion on the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict
The distortions flooding the internet and airwaves regarding the latest Israeli assault on Gaza are familiar and depressing. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has managed to frame the latest episode in the conflict as Israel 'defending itself' from incessant rocket attacks from ...read more
The Extreme Danger of Right Wing Economic Theory
By Ben Cohen: I've been having a series of arguments with a friend of mine about the competing economic theories in mainstream American politics. My friend takes the view that government is not the answer to America's economic or social problems, and I take the view that in ...read more
Why the Republicans are Screwed
By Ben Cohen: Listening to the Right wing fallout after President Obama was re-elected has been absolutely fascinating to say the least. From Karl Rove's extraordinary meltdown live on election night to Sean Hannity's one-eighty on immigration, it's fair to say that the GOP is ...read more
Bill Maher: "Romney Lost Because of the Republican Brand"
Bill Maher explains why Romney lost the election: Mitt Romney lost because of the Republican brand and Republican policies. There are other reasons, of course, like Mitt being unlovable to anyone not named Ann Romney, but nothing trumps the idea that 2/3rds of America thinks the ...read more
Historic Gay Rights Achievements on 2012 Election Ballots
The Daily Banter Headline Grab (from Mercury News): Gay marriage rights were supported by popular vote on Tuesday in Maine and Maryland, and Washington state joined Wednesday afternoon, making it the first time gay men and lesbian rights were approved at the ballot box. In ...read more
Failure of the Conservative Media to Predict Election Symptomatic of Bankrupt Ideology
By Ben Cohen: If you listened to any prominent right wing media outlet during the week leading up to the election, you would have thought it was in the bag for Mitt Romney. Right wing pundits like Karl Rove, William Kristol and Charles Krauthammer predicted a close but ...read more
What Happened to Matt Taibbi?
Anyone who reads this blog knows I'm a big fan of Matt Taibbi - his mixture of acerbic wit and penetrating insight is a rarity in journalism these days, and I pretty much agree with his stance on most issues. That's why I was little alarmed to read this from his blog on Rolling ...read more