Patti Davis On Bush’s Veto

Ken AshfordHealth Care1 Comment

Within an hour after Bush vetoed legislation barring federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, Patti Davis responds in an editorial entitled "Does Anyone Care?" On Wednesday, President Bush handed down his first veto ever, for a bill that would have allowed federal funding for stem-cell research on embryos left over after in vitro fertilization procedures—embryos that would otherwise be … Read More

Why Bloggers Blog

Ken AshfordBlogging1 Comment

Pew survey: 54% of bloggers say that they have never published their writing or media creations anywhere else; 44% say they have published elsewhere. 54% of bloggers are under the age of 30. Women and men have statistical parity in the blogosphere, with women representing 46% of bloggers and men 54%. 76% of bloggers say a reason they blog is … Read More

Is Michael Brown In Charge If Lebanon Evacuation?

Ken AshfordMiddle EastLeave a Comment

There were roughly 25,000 Americans in Lebanon when the bombs began.  A couple thou have been evacuated so far. What about the rest? "We have an open line to all American citizens. We’re in touch with them by Web site. Those Americans who wish to leave will obviously go out," [Nicholas Burns, the U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs] … Read More

The Only Argument You Need To Know About Embryonic Stem Cells

Ken AshfordHealth CareLeave a Comment

From Ezra Klein: Embryonic Stem Cell lines come from material stored at fertility clinics which is already slated for destruction. Preventing these blastocysts from being used for research won’t ‘save’ them. It simply means they’ll be disposed of in a medical waste facility instead of being used to find cures for disease. The only reason to restrict federal approval of … Read More

“Bring ‘Em On” — Three Years Later

Ken AshfordIraq2 Comments

"There are some who feel like — that the conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is, bring ’em on. We’ve got the force necessary to deal with the security situation." George W. BushPress ConferenceJuly 2, 2003 More than 14,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq in the first half of this year, an ominous figure … Read More

Conservatives Having Bad Times

Ken AshfordRepublicans1 Comment

Data point:  According to WaPo, conservatives feel Bush is AWOL on foreign policy. Data point:  As posted earlier, the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage fails to pass the House. Data point:  Meanwhile, the darling of the conservative christian movement, Ralph Reed, loses to a virtual unknown in Georgia. Data point:  It’s generally agreed that Bush’s expected veto of embryonic stem … Read More

Taxi Drivers Strike Again

Ken AshfordRight Wing Punditry/IdiocyLeave a Comment

It always amuses me how conservative pundit often invoke their personal conversations with taxi drivers as support for their positions. You know, as in . . . "I was talking to a taxi driver the other day, and he told me that he thinks that Iraq must have had weapons of mass destruction, and they are now in Syria." Therefore … Read More

Lebanon Evacuation Update

Ken AshfordMiddle EastLeave a Comment

Re my previous entry here — I just received the following email from CNN: Evacuation fees for Americans being helped to leave Lebanon will be waived, two Republican senators tell CNN.

Same Sex Amendment Fails House, Too

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family Values1 Comment

Because the proposed anti-same-sex marriage amendment to the Constitution failed the Senate a few weeks ago, the vote in the House today was entirely symbolic. Even then, the proposal to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman failed: 236-187, 47 short of the two-thirds majority needed. UPDATE:  An ultra-conservative Congressman (and a Democrat, believe it or … Read More