Now They Have to Talk, Swift Stops Streaming

The Dating Scene: President Obama and Republican leaders appeared in the rubble of the Democratic majority and promised to try to work together … with some cautions.

Senate Majority leader-to-be Mitch McConnell, who once said “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president,” said yesterday, “Just because we have a two party system doesn’t mean we have to be in perpetual conflict.”

   McConnell said Republicans would focus on trade and tax reform, in particular lowering the corporate tax rate. He promised, “There will be no government shutdowns and no default on the national debt.”

President Obama said, “Congress will pass some bills I cannot sign.  I’m pretty sure I’ll take some actions that some in Congress will not like.  That’s natural.  That’s how our democracy works.  But we can surely find ways to work together on issues where there’s broad agreement among the American people.”

In the middle of his humiliation, Obama said he would advance his agenda asking Congress for $5 billion to fight Ebola in Africa, and for authorization to use military force against Islamic State militants in the Middle East.

In the end, winning puts the pressure on the Republicans. Now they have to produce.

What Election?: Preliminary numbers have it that just 36.6 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot Tuesday, the lowest since World War II. The highest percentage was in Maine, 59.3 percent, the lowest in Texas, 28.5 percent.

Police Blotter: A young Philadelphia woman whose abduction from the street was caught on videotape has been found alive, and the man believed to be her captor has been arrested. Carlesha Freeland-Gaither, 22, was found in the back of a car three days after she was taken. A man named Delven Barnes, 37, was recorded on surveillance cameras using Freeland-Gaither’s ATM card. Police tracked him to his car, and his prisoner.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Several news outlets have named Montana native Robert O’Neill as the former member of Seal Team 6 who pulled the trigger on Osama bin Laden. O’Neill, who has been critical about the lack of benefits after 16 years in the service, is lined up to do an exclusive interview with Fox News.

In response, the chief of naval special warfare issued a letter to SEALS current and former saying, “A critical tenant of our ethos is ‘I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions.’ Our ethos is a life-long commitment and obligation, both in and out of the service.”

The Sports Page: The Miami Herald reports that despite vehement public denials, Yankee baseball star Alex Rodriguez privately admitted to federal investigators that he had used performance-enhancing drugs. Rodriguez, who served a yearlong suspension from baseball, made the admission in trade for immunity in a criminal investigation into drug use in sports.

Hit Music: Drummer Phil Rudd of the Australian rock band AC/DC has been arrested in New Zealand and accused of trying to arrange the murder of two people. The 60-year-old rocker is also accused of possession of methamphetamine and marijuana. Among his band’s big hits: “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.”

That’s Entertainment: Singer Taylor Swift, whose album “1989” is selling faster than any new record for 12 years, has decided to remove her entire music catalogue from the popular streaming service Spotify. While it’s common wisdom in the industry that you need the streaming services to sell music, Spotify might need Swift more than she needs them. They pay just $0.006 to $0.0084 per song play and she can live without the chump change. She wrote in the Wall Street Journal, “Valuable things should be paid for.”

 

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Thursday, April 25, 2024

Page Two

The Most Corrupt Justice

Monday, October 2, 2023

Democracy and Video in the Dark

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Page Two: Do the Right Thing

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Page Two: Sound Recall

Monday, September 13, 2021

Page Two: Cuomo Must Go

Friday, August 13, 2021

Trump and the Truth

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

The “Great” President

Monday, March 30, 2020

The Wright Stuff

Saturday, February 29, 2020

It's Been Said

"In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn. There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate, and I should have, no excuses."

-Andrew Cuomo, resigning as governor of New York after accusations of sexual harassment

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