Michael O'Hanlon makes a strong case for McChrystal speaking his mind regarding his recommendations for Afghanistan. Still, although I agree McChrystal probably did not go too far, judging how far he went should have less to do with the wisdom of his words than the propriety of speaking up as a person in a chain of command.
Anyway, here's O'Hanlon's piece.

COIN in Afghanistan

Interesting CSMonitor article on the use of counterinsurgency warfare in Afghanistan. Seems a bit more critical of COIN, but interesting nonetheless. Here.

Bio of Creigh Deeds

From the Washington Post, their long bio of VA-Gov candidate Democrat Creigh Deeds.

Afghanistan

Interesting take by fired Galbraith.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/02/AR2009100202855.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
Granted, this is just his perspective, but I would be incredibly insulted if I - or my family members - were fighting on behalf of a cause that had a major lie behind it. IF Galbraith is right and accurate, something is VERY wrong there. And the fact that UN leadership was more than willing to let electoral fraud be packaged as legitimate is sickening. Heaven forbid someone I knows dies for something so dishonest. Maybe even worse yet, as Galbraith points out, by not addressing the fraud, the Taliban is given a victory. Ugh.

Maybe Ignatius offers the "third way"?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/02/AR2009100202889.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
His account points out why it's still worth the effort. Leaving means the US is signing the death warrant of so many innocent people. That is the real bitter pill to swallow as I become increasingly cynical of our efforts over there. If people don't want our help, how many must we send over "there" to make "them" want it? And again, reading this article about a happy kid who DOES want it, makes it seem worth it (along with Filkins's recent NYTM article on helping some folks over there).

The ultimate frustration of all of this is summed up by the headline of Traub's piece: "The Distance Between ‘We Must’ and ‘We Can'"
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/weekinreview/04traub.html?_r=1&hp

Bruce Ackerman, a legal scholar, offered an interesting op-ed. McChrystal may be over-stepping his authority by publicly pressuring a president to adopt a policy. Frankly, after the mass-criticism so many generals took for not standing up to the Bush Administration, I don't blame a general for not wanting to get stuck enforcing a policy he believes is doomed to failure. But there is a fine line between pushing for success and abiding by the chain of command.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/02/AR2009100203939.html

Battle For America 2008

Useful review of Battle For America 2008.

Health care

Two interesting articles:
1) On Mayo clinic. From WaPo.
2) On private insurance costs, by Ezra Klein of WaPo.

Missile defense

Interesting article about the President's move on missile defense in Eastern Europe, the effort to better face the challenge from Iran, and the likelihood of getting anything useful out of Russia. From Slate's Kaplan.
The SecDef himself in the NYTimes.

Robert McNamara dies

Great obit from the NYTimes on Robert McNamara, former Secretary of Defense. Great leadership in the Cuban Missile Crisis, horrible leadership during Vietnam War.

Another long overview from WaPo.

Interesting take by Kaplan at Slate.

A short, interesting, and harsh comment on McNamara by one of the greatest wartime correspondents, Joe Galloway. From McClatchy.

Supreme Court wrap-ups

With the US Supreme Court ending it's term this week, there are a few helpful summaries of this last year's Court activity.
The NYTimes: HERE.
The Washington Post: HERE.
SCOTUSBlog's stat-pack: HERE.

Changing American electorate

An interesting analysis about the changing American electorate. The folks mentioned in the article, who contemplate such things, think that the long term trend for Dems is great, and the GOP has become a minority party. Time will ultimately tell. In the meantime, this is a fun article.

Deficits

Here's a useful article on how the deficit became so large over the past decade or so (NYTimes):

The story of today’s deficits starts in January 2001, as President Bill Clinton was leaving office. The Congressional Budget Office estimated then that the government would run an average annual surplus of more than $800 billion a year from 2009 to 2012. Today, the government is expected to run a $1.2 trillion annual deficit in those years.

You can think of that roughly $2 trillion swing as coming from four broad categories: the business cycle, President George W. Bush’s policies, policies from the Bush years that are scheduled to expire but that Mr. Obama has chosen to extend, and new policies proposed by Mr. Obama.

The first category — the business cycle — accounts for 37 percent of the $2 trillion swing. It’s a reflection of the fact that both the 2001 recession and the current one reduced tax revenue, required more spending on safety-net programs and changed economists’ assumptions about how much in taxes the government would collect in future years.

About 33 percent of the swing stems from new legislation signed by Mr. Bush. That legislation, like his tax cuts and the Medicare prescription drug benefit, not only continue to cost the government but have also increased interest payments on the national debt.

Mr. Obama’s main contribution to the deficit is his extension of several Bush policies, like the Iraq war and tax cuts for households making less than $250,000. Such policies — together with the Wall Street bailout, which was signed by Mr. Bush and supported by Mr. Obama — account for 20 percent of the swing.

About 7 percent comes from the stimulus bill that Mr. Obama signed in February. And only 3 percent comes from Mr. Obama’s agenda on health care, education, energy and other areas.

Health Care reform

Congress is now back in session and it seems likely that they will be addressing health care with the hopes of providing health care coverage for almost all Americans. With that effort in mind, I will try to offer an ongoing array of articles that deal with the issue. I don't promise my article selections will be "fair and balanced," but my choices don't directly reflect my policy preferences either.

Posted on 01 June 2009:

Great article from the New Yorker, discussing why health care is so expensive in one area of Texas, and what can be done about it: Click HERE.

Helpful overview of what President Obama and Congress will be striving for: Barack Obama's health plan takes shape - Carrie Budoff Brown - POLITICO.com

Interesting New Republic article, promoting the "Twinkee Tax" to help pay for what will undoubtedly be a costly change (though the author believes it will be most efficient in the long run). Click HERE.

Posted 06-03-2009:
NYTimes Magazine long one by one of the best, Matt Bai. Getting it through Congress. Click HERE.

The President is bending in working with Congress. Click HERE.

Posted 06-04-2009:
Tumulty from Time - Five Big Dilemmas: Click HERE.
Galston from The New Republic. What's it really gonna cost?

Posted on 06-08-2009:
Perhaps the best overview, by the congressional Research Service. Click HERE.

Posted on 06-11-2009:
Slate's online guide to health care reform debate: Click HERE.

The Obama White House, which aired on NBC, was a great special. Some related information:

Fantastic interactive map of the White House to go along with the special: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30932789/

The website for the special, which can be viewed online: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30892505/

Renegade

There will be many Campaign 2008 (aka Obama) books out over the next year or two. A first journalistic take out of the gate was reviewed in the Washington Post, Renegage, by Richard Wolfe. Interestingly, the reviewer, Ted Widmer, mentions the true standard for campaign books by journalists: Theodore White and his "Making of the President" series. (The 1960 Kennedy=Nixon election was the best of the best.) Sadly, though Widmer gives the book a positive review, I'm left unimpressed. Read the review here.

Supreme Court stuff

A VERY useful resource for Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) info can be found at SCOTUSblog.com.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
The blog gets a nice article by Howard Kurtz in the .

Community Colleges meet the needs of citizens, at a reasonable price

Great article in the Washington Post about the increasing demand for community college education, with a focus on NOVA.

On the sadder side, the loss of a great NOVA professor. RIP Margarita Hodge.

Local government in VA

Great statement in defense of local government spending on education in Virginia. See HERE.

Students for a Democratic Society

Tuesday, April 14 from 2:00-4:00pm in Room AA-329


Northern Virginia Community College

STUDENTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

PRESENTS...


BRAD:

ONE MORE NIGHT AT THE BARRICADES

When Mexican paramilitary forces shot Brad Will in the chest, killing him, his camera fell from his hands. But it didn't stop recording. It continued moving from hand to hand, telling Brad's story, as well as the story of the movement of movements that he was part of. From the squats of New York to the forests of Oregon, from the anti-globalization protests in Seattle, Prague, Quebec to the popular uprising in Oaxaca, Brad's camera paints us a picture of what his life was about, and what so many of his friends continue to struggle for.



Followed by Guest Speaker:

DANIEL MELTZER

Having been radicalized during the alter-globalization era of the late nineties by stories of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, Daniel Meltzer went down to Mexico in 2005 to intern with an anarchist labor organization Tehuacan Valley Human and Labor Rights Commission, where he helped organize bluejeans sweatshop workers and learned about the radical history of Mexico. During the Oaxacan uprising of 2006, Daniel mobilized the DC chapter of the labor union Industrial Workers of the World to stage solidarity demonstrations outside of the Mexican embassy, and later helped form, with the IWW as well as community organizations like Mexicanos Sin Fronteras and DC FMLN, Oaxaca Solidarity Action to stage further acts of solidarity with the uprising in Oaxaca. In December of 2008, Daniel traveled down to Mexico again to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the EZLN, where he participated in workshops and celebrations with his masked inspirations. Daniel Meltzer is a student organizer with DC Students for a Democratic Society.


NoVA Students for a Democratic Society meets from 6:00-7:00pm every Monday in the Bisdorf building room #331

NoVA SDS is an education and social action organization dedicated to increasing democracy in all phases of life. It seeks to promote the active participation of young people in the formation of a movement to build a society free from poverty, ignorance, war, exploitation, racism, and sexism.

NOVA Events

Subject: Dr. Cole and Concert Planning

Two quick Reminders:

Women's History Month Speaker: Dr. Johnnetta Cole
Wednesday, April 8
12:30 p.m.
CE Forum, Annadale Campus

Dr. Johnnetta Cole was the first African American woman to serve as President of Spelman College and the first African American woman to serve as Chair of the Board of United Way of America. In addition to her 48 honorary degrees, she serves on the Board of Directors of Merck & Co., Inc., and the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the National Council of Negro Women. Dr. Cole will be speaking on women and leadership. Seating is limited, and first come first serve. There will be a short reception with refreshments following her talk.

Concert Planning Committee
Friday, April 10
11:00 a.m.
CF 220, Annandale Campus

REQUIREMENTS: To join the concert planning committee, you must be a current student who is willing to attend concert planning meetings for the rest of the semester and during the summer. You must also enroll in classes for fall 2009. Meetings will take place Friday’s at 11:00 a.m. in CF 220. The next meeting will be held on Friday, April 10th.

Questions? Contact Jessie Zahorian at jzahorian@nvcc.edu.

Voting Rights

Interesting article on the US Supreme Court and a voting rights case from Texas. Useful map on the areas of the country that still need Federal Government authorization to change voting laws. This will be a big decision for the Court. From the WSJ.

Political Islam event

Please plan to attend
The Future of
Political Islam

A public lecture by
Peter Mandaville, PhD
Thursday, 23 April 2009
6:00—7:00 p.m.
NOVA Reston Center, rm 307

Mandaville is co-director of George Mason University’s Center for Global Studies and author of Global Political Islam (Routledge, 2007)… “a well-informed account of the impact of globalization on Muslim politics” (Economist). A book signing, sponsored by Barnes and Noble Campus Bookstore, will follow the presentation.

He's Just Not That Into You

At NOVA's Annandale Campus:
Relationship Speaker: Greg Behrendt
Date:
Monday, March 23, 2009
Time:
12:30pm - 1:30pm
Location:
Cultural Center Forum
Street:
8333 Little River Turnpike
City/Town:
Annandale, VA

Greg will discuss his best-selling book and recently released movie, “He’s Just Not That Into You” and his perspective on modern dating. Behrendt was a consultant for three consecutive seasons on HBO’s “Sex and the City” in which he brought his original male point-of-view to the writing staff. His acclaimed stand-up comedy has been seen on HBO, “The Tonight Show,” “Late Show w/David Letterman,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and Comedy Central. Book signing to follow. Seats are first come first serve.

Publius

Great article by Cass Sunstein (who now works in the Obama Administration). Deliberative democracy and the arguments between the Federalists and Antifederalists.

A great Great Depression book, or just depressingly wrong?

Amity Shlaes wrote a much discussed book about the FDR and the Great Depression: The Forgotten Man. Conservatives love it, and Democrats don't. Such is life. Here's an interesting and critical review of the book from Jonathan Chait of the New Republic.

Newt. Always.

Great and long article by NYTimes's Matt Bai on the ever-influential Newt Gingrich. Here.

The Great Disruption

Cute take at pending doom: Friedman.

Obama's worldview

From Thomas Ricks's new blog, here is what Obama thinks about the world.

Raising Kaine

VA Gov pushes for early voting:

Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine called on legislators Wednesday to support no-excuse, in-person absentee voting in Virginia as a way to reduce long lines at polls and make voting more convenient.

The proposal would allow qualified voters to cast absentee ballots in person at their registrar's office during a 45-day period without having to provide an excuse or reason.

Interesting points from Tom Ricks on Afghanistan (and Pakistan).