Afghan President Hamid Karzai is in Washington for the beginning of his four-day trip to discuss America’s transition away from the Afghan War and the future US presence in Afghanistan.
** QUICK HITS. “I’m ready. I’m rarin’ to go. And don’t expect me to leave too soon.” That’s Governor Jerry Brown from his morning press conference on prisons, the forthcoming state budget, and his now completed prostate cancer treatment. Brown called 2013: “The year of fiscal discipline.” … Today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of the first Californian to serve as president of the United States, Richard Nixon. (And unlike Ronald Reagan, Nixon was actually a native Californian.) No public proclamations on this, though there seems to be a gala dinner in Washington with Henry Kissinger. Such a mixed bag Nixon was. Clearly a brilliant character, forward-leaning on China, the environment, and moderate social policies. But then there is Vietnam, the bitterly paranoid style of his politics, and of course Watergate. I wonder if Nixon, a very savvy sort, would have blundered into Vietnam in the first place. … Incidentally, you know all those claims from greenhouse deniers that global warming actually ended years ago. Wrong again. Actually, in what we rather laughingly call the real world, 2012 was clearly the warmest year on record.
** NEW COLUMNS COMING UP … OBAMA: WHY THE HAGEL BATTLE MADE MORE SENSE THAN THE RICE BATTLE, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA AT 50: A TIMELESS EPIC RESTORED WITH TIMELESS LESSONS IN STORE, and NEW WORLD COMING: THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE COUNCIL TAKES A CRACK AT 2030.
** NEW SURVEY: WASHINGTON POLITICS CAUSES SERIOUS HARM TO AMERICA. A new Gallup Poll survey finds over three-quarters of Americans believing that the way politics works in Washington, or, perhaps more accurately, does not work, is causing serious harm to the nation.
The small minority which disagrees with this tracks neatly with the job approval rating for Congress.
The only differential in all this is the rating of President Barack Obama.
Obama has a 54% job approval rating now, with only 39% disapproving.
Perhaps that is why there is optimism about the future.
More than three-quarters of Americans (77%) say the way politics works in Washington these days is causing serious harm to the United States, providing still another indicator of the low esteem in which Americans hold their elected officials and the way the federal government works. …
The finding that most Americans think politics are hurting the country fits with a number of additional measures showing that Americans hold the federal government in general and Congress in particular — the main instruments of how American politics work — in low regard. The 19% of Americans who do not feel negatively about the way politics are being handled is quite close to Congress’ current 18% job approval rating. Confidence in Congress as an institution — the percentage with a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in it — is at 13%, and 10% and 14% of Americans rate the honesty and ethics of members of Congress and senators, respectively, as high or very high. Also, last August, 23% of Americans gave the “federal government” a positive rating, while 14% rated it neutrally, and 60% gave it a negative rating. …
Americans are more likely to express optimism than pessimism when asked about the future of the way Washington politics work. Fifty-two percent say they are optimistic that the way politics work in Washington will improve in the next 10 years; 45% are pessimistic.
Democrats are significantly more likely to be optimistic than are Republicans, perhaps because a Democratic president is currently in the White House. Younger Americans are slightly more positive than older Americans. …
Former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, the Vietnam War hero who became an apostate Republican on the Iraq War, is at the center of debate following his nomination by President Barack Obama to be the next secretary of defense.
** NEW COLUMNS COMING UP … OBAMA: WHY THE HAGEL BATTLE MADE MORE SENSE THAN THE RICE BATTLE, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA AT 50: A TIMELESS EPIC RESTORED WITH TIMELESS LESSONS IN STORE, and NEW WORLD COMING: THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE COUNCIL TAKES A CRACK AT 2030.
** OBAMA TODAY. President Barack Obama is in Washington.
Obama received the intelligence and economic briefings in the Oval Office.
At 11 AM Pacific, Obama meets with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in the Oval Office.
His Monday appointment of Chuck Hagel to replace veteran California political figure Leon Panetta to be the next US secretary of defense, continues to reverberate, as it will throughout the confirmation process, which will last at least a month.
General Colin Powell, US secretary of state under Bush II and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Bush I, on Monday afternoon announced his strong support for Hagel, countering the neoconservatives who bedeviled his tenure during the Bush/Cheney years. As did former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, US secretary of homeland security under Bush II and a finalist for vice president with John McCain.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai beings his four-day visit to Washington today. It’s all about the transition away from the Afghan War for the US, and agreements about a relatively small residual force, almost certainly less than 10,000 troops.
Karzai and Obama will meet on Friday.
Obama is monitoring several geopolitical crises involving the Arab Awakening, Iran and Israel, Syria, Iraq, AfPak, and the South China Sea.
Military Crisis Zone Times: The Persian/Arabian Gulf is ten hours ahead of Pacific time and Afghanistan is eleven and a half hours ahead of Pacific time. The time in Manila, on the South China Sea, is fifteen hours ahead of Pacific time.
** FROM THE JERRY FILES. Governor Jerry Brown is in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
At 9:30 AM, Brown holds a press conference in the State Capitol to discuss major to medical and mental health care in California’s prisons.
At 1 PM, he holds a press conference in the Governor’s Office in downtown Los Angeles on the same topic.
His purpose? To declare the California’s prison overcrowding and medical crises have been effectively dealt with and petition the federal courts to lift their cap on the state’s prison population, which might otherwise result in mass releases. If they refuse to do so, he will appeal to the US Supreme Court.
Brown will unveil his new California state budget Thursday morning at 10 AM in the Capitol.
And Brown will deliver his State of the State address at 9 AM on January 24th before a joint session of the California state legislature, also in the State Capitol.
Click here for my compendium of articles laying out the re-emergence of Jerry Brown as governor of California.
Click here for my compendium of articles providing a narrative of his governorship.
** CALIFORNIA’S FUTURIST AGENDA: A TALE OF THREE GOVERNORS. … From my January 4th essay.
** THE CLIFFS WE AREN’T FALLING FROM (AND ONE FROM WHICH WE ARE). … From my December 15th column.
** EXIT SUSAN RICE. … From my December 13th column.
** WHERE THE DEMOCRATS GO NEXT, OR, PIVOTING WITH HILLARY. … From my December 10th column.
** FROM THE NOTEBOOK: OBSERVATIONS ON JERRY BROWN’S PROP 30 VICTORY. … From my December 5th essay.
Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger discusses his new film, The Last Stand, which opens wide on January 18th, as well as the issue of gun control in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut massacre.
** FROM GOVERNATOR TO MOONBEAM. … From my January 3rd, 2011 feature.
** OBAMA: RIDING WITH HISTORY. (NOTE: As Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, this column was the featured column on the top of the front page of the Huffington Post.) … From my January 19th, 2009 Huffington Post column.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM AL JAZEERA. With the US entangled in major military operations in the region, and the Arab awakening underway, it’s valuable to keep up with news and perspectives from the leading Middle Eastern-based TV news network. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer. The NWN live link to AJ does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer from the Russia Today channel. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the state-run channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND NATIONAL ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. Having crashed over $147 for yet another record on July 11th, 2008, crude oil is trading around $93 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
This is up about $59 from the low of $34 per barrel prior to enactment of the Obama economic recovery program, reflecting a low point in global economic activity, and down about $21 per barrel from the price at the time of the Osama bin Laden raid.
Your posts are welcome in the Forum. You can send me a private tip by clicking on the “Contact” button in the upper right.
Read 
| Comments (27) |
Good Al Jazeera news video on Chuck Hagel.
I only heard half of the audio in the Schwarzenegger interview.
A good video on a good man…
Jonas says:
January 8, 2013 at 9:34 am
Good Al Jazeera news video on Chuck Hagel.
John Tower?
Harriet Miers came to mind, but she was nominated to the Supreme Court not a cabinet position.
Cooper Hawks says:
January 7, 2013 at 4:41 pm
When was the last big Cabinet nomination fight??
Here is a link to the transcript of an informative interview broadcast on NPR with Al Jazeera’s executive producer for the Americas, Bob Wheelock, as they make a move for a bigger presence in the U.S.:
http://www.npr.org/2013/01/06/168724502/al-jazeera-expands-its-american-purview-with-current-tv
I couldn’t hear the good parts.
Jonas says:
January 8, 2013 at 9:36 am
I only heard half of the audio in the Schwarzenegger interview.
JB, getting it done.
BB:At 1 PM, he holds a press conference in the Governor’s Office in downtown Los Angeles on the same topic.
His purpose? To declare the California’s prison overcrowding and medical crises have been effectively dealt with and petition the federal courts to lift their cap on the state’s prison population, which might otherwise result in mass releases. If they refuse to do so, he will appeal to the US Supreme Court.
A month of fun fun fun…
BB: His Monday appointment of Chuck Hagel to replace veteran California political figure Leon Panetta to be the next US secretary of defense, continues to reverberate, as it will throughout the confirmation process, which will last at least a month.
It will be a great debate, hopefully.
A long time ago, 1989, I believe…
Dana says:
January 8, 2013 at 10:14 am
John Tower?
Harriet Miers came to mind, but she was nominated to the Supreme Court not a cabinet position.
Cooper Hawks says:
January 7, 2013 at 4:41 pm
When was the last big Cabinet nomination fight??
…The fight then was not over policy, as I recall.
Syria crisis video today?
Good Al Jazeera news video on President Karzai’s trip to America.
The sooner that crook is in the rear view mirror, the better…
It was about John Tower supposedly being a drunk and a womanizer, I think.
Requiem says:
January 8, 2013 at 10:54 am
…The fight then was not over policy, as I recall.
“Let the games begin!”
Bane in Dark Knight Rises
Capitol Boy says:
January 8, 2013 at 10:25 am
A month of fun fun fun…
BB: His Monday appointment of Chuck Hagel to replace veteran California political figure Leon Panetta to be the next US secretary of defense, continues to reverberate, as it will throughout the confirmation process, which will last at least a month.
Requiem says:
January 8, 2013 at 10:53 am
It will be a great debate, hopefully.
Time Warner knocked Current off their dial as soon as Al Jazeera and Al Gore announced the buy.
Wonder why??
Dana says:
January 8, 2013 at 10:18 am
Here is a link to the transcript of an informative interview broadcast on NPR with Al Jazeera’s executive producer for the Americas, Bob Wheelock, as they make a move for a bigger presence in the U.S.:
http://www.npr.org/2013/01/06/168724502/al-jazeera-expands-its-american-purview-with-current-tv
I don’t trust him, either.
Jonas says:
January 8, 2013 at 2:06 pm
Good Al Jazeera news video on President Karzai’s trip to America.
Jack Aubrey says:
January 8, 2013 at 4:01 pm
The sooner that crook is in the rear view mirror, the better…
Hahah
Jack Aubrey says:
January 8, 2013 at 4:02 pm
“Let the games begin!”
Bane in Dark Knight Rises
Capitol Boy says:
January 8, 2013 at 10:25 am
A month of fun fun fun…
BB: His Monday appointment of Chuck Hagel to replace veteran California political figure Leon Panetta to be the next US secretary of defense, continues to reverberate, as it will throughout the confirmation process, which will last at least a month.
Requiem says:
January 8, 2013 at 10:53 am
It will be a great debate, hopefully.
JB, the Forever Governor!!!
** QUICK HITS. “I’m ready. I’m rarin’ to go. And don’t expect me to leave too soon.” That’s Governor Jerry Brown from his morning press conference on prisons, the forthcoming state budget, and his now completed prostate cancer treatment. Brown called 2013: “The year of fiscal discipline.” …
American friends should remember Russia’s help in Afghanistan.
Your President Obama may finally get serious about the greenhouse effect.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jan/09/barack-obama-climate-summit
Crisis video today?
Excellent Article, thank you for sharing!
Woah this weblog is fantastic i love reading your articles. Keep up the great work! You realize, a lot of people are searching round for this information, you can aid them greatly.
very good and cool,thank you for your sharing. http://youtu.be/CxZRvoeDQas