Former Texas Governor Ann Richards, the sharp-witted Democrat who rose from homemaker to national celebrity, has died at 73 following a battle with cancer. A true breath of fresh air in Texas politics, she was missed after the 1994 election—and she will be deeply missed now. Thank you, Governor.
I avoided ABC’s dramatization of 9/11 until flipping it on after the president spoke. The historical spin was jarring—particularly placing Bush center stage in the immediate heroics when he was actually kept on the move. Rebranding political absence into cinematic valor pushes media distortion to a whole new low.
Harold Meyerson notes that with its flagship policies sinking under their own weight, the GOP has traded big ideas for scare tactics and opposition research. Karl Rove’s trademark hardball strategy is steering a troubled party into the midterms, signaling that this fall’s campaign will drag national politics to a new low.
History teaches that unanimous national support cannot be stolen by critics; it is squandered by leaders who exploit unity for political advantage. Instead of bipartisan healing or true protection, we were duped into war through “lying by implication”—squandering a nation’s resolve to rule through fear, division, and political opportunism.
Reading the morning columns, Richard Cohen’s argument that Bin Laden achieved his goals resonates deeply. Paired with Eugene Robinson’s critique of our newly labeled “homeland,” it underscores a troubling pattern: an administration masking policy rollbacks behind Orwellian slogans, waging a deceptive “war of words” while real consequences unfold.
Reflecting on the fifth anniversary of September 11, I find myself wrestling with how America responded. Beyond remembering the lives lost, fear has too often justified abandoning core ideals. Watching endless conflicts unfold, I wonder: will we ever regain our moral high ground and choose peace over perpetual war?
When asked how officials stayed silent during the march to war in Iraq, Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson blamed the vice president. Yet responsibility extends beyond Cheney, Bush, silent intelligence operatives, and an uncritical press like the New York Times. It also lies with the American public, whose post-9/11 fear enabled this collective deception. To clarify this fragmentary history and ensure accountability, Mother Jones presents a fully sourced timeline documenting the entire runup to war so we won’t be fooled ever again.
While politicians and pundits tout strong economic growth, the reality for everyday families tells a very different story. Census data reveals that median household income fell while poverty rates rose, leaving working Americans behind despite surging productivity. My own son is starting a family on less real income than I made two decades ago. It is time for the media to cut through the administration’s spin, report the hard facts, and call out these economic claims for what they truly are.
Note: This series utilizes AI-assisted research and atmospheric imagery. See our [Full AI Disclosure] for more on how we coordinate heritage with technology.
Note: This series utilizes AI-assisted research and atmospheric imagery. See our [Full AI Disclosure] for more on how we coordinate heritage with technology.
