Ben Adler

MORE ON VIRGINIA. Adding to our earlier discussion on whether Virginia is following in Delaware�s and Maryland�s historical footsteps, reader David Weigel writes in to point out: Gov. Tim Kaine isn’t a native to Virginia or the South. He was born in St. Paul, MN, and grew in the Kansas City area (the Missouri side) […]

ALLEN FALLING. I think Matt is onto something with his observation that Virginia may be evolving into a non-Southern state. In addition to the election of two successive moderate Democrats as governors (the first, Mark Warner, being a non-native to Virginia or the South), the latest Wall Street Journal/Zogby poll in the ’06 Senate race […]

HOW DID YOU GET TO SCHOOL? Another likely factor in the modern epidemic of childhood obesity and related illnesses like Type 2 diabetes, from the University of Texas: In 1969, about half of all students walked or bicycled to school. Fast forward 35 years and less than 15 percent of students walk or bicycle to […]

PURGE OF MELE BEGINS. As well it should. The New Organizing Institute (a “grassroots training and research program created by experienced online organizers…in conjunction with MoveOn.org”) just announced it has “removed Nicco Mele from its Advisory Board after learning that Mele will be supporting John McCain if he should run for president.” It is important […]

RACE IN REPUBLICAN RACES. Raw Story reporter Brian Beutler has catalogued a surprising number of racist remarks from Republican candidates this year and noted the national party’s response — or lack thereof. Unlike Macacagate, most of these examples have not garnered national media attention. (The heated GOP primary race to fill Katherine Harris‘s House seat, […]

WHEN THE OP-ED PAGE DOESN’T KNOW WHAT THE NEWS PAGE IS DOING… Yesterday’s Washington Post op-ed page had a very sensible column from education writer Jay Mathews. He argues that the media sensationalism surrounding over-worked, over-pressured high-schoolers is totally misplaced. Media elites regurgitate this story because their own children attend fancy suburban public schools or […]

TIME TO LET GAYS SERVE OPENLY? Civil rights advances are often made during times of war — when an oppressed group proves itself capable of fulfilling every obligation of citizenship. Women�s suffrage being buoyed by the increased presence of women in the workplace during World War I comes to mind, as does the 1948 desegregation […]

MORE CHICKEN COUNTING. Following up on Matt‘s post, I do think the emerging line holding that Ned Lamont‘s victory demonstrates that the Dems can ride an anti-war platform to victory in ’06 and ’08 is totally premature. For one thing, Lamont (obviously) won a primary, not a general election. The fact that the anti-war platform […]

A CHALLENGE. I didn’t know that acknowledging that the Israeli government has pursued some policy shifts in recent years — shifts that those of us who oppose Israeli expansionism should cheer — makes you a “Likudnik,” but allow me to defend my honor. A cursory glance at the website I edit, CampusProgress.org, will reveal three […]

GRATUITOUS SHOT. You’d think, having just complained that The Nation and other lefty media outlets ought to be more focused on the increasing influence of rightwing Christian Zionism than on AIPAC, that I’d be delighted by this new piece by Max Blumenthal. And I am pleased to see Blumenthal’s comprehensive reporting on the influential new […]