Over the course of the year President Obama has spent a lot of effort telling Americans how wealthy individuals and corporations should contribute more of their money to taxes. The boldest of these efforts was during his September 8 jobs speech:

I am also — I’m also well aware that there are many Republicans who don’t believe we should raise taxes on those who are most fortunate and can best afford it. But here is what every American knows: While most people in this country struggle to make ends meet, a few of the most affluent citizens and most profitable corporations enjoy tax breaks and loopholes that nobody else gets. Right now, Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary — an outrage he has asked us to fix. (Laughter.) We need a tax code where everyone gets a fair shake and where everybody pays their fair share.| MORE ›

Mr. President, I’m sure you know it much better than we do, but your Vice President is a loose canon.  In the space of about 12 hours, he made two very bad remarks. First, he reportedly described Tea Party Republicans as terrorists.| MORE ›

Man, it certainly is great that those Americans fi-nal-ly elected an intelligent guy, a man from Harvard no less, and a man of the world.

Oh yes, Obama really does wonders for the relationships between European states and the United States. He knows how to behave and he would never – evah! – do anything to insult Europeans or make himself look like an ass.

Uh, never mind that.| MORE ›

Editor’s note. Please welcome a new author to RATA: Chris Queen (U.S.). Chris and I worked together at David Horowitz’s NewsReal Blog. I was so impressed with his writing that I asked him to join the team here when that blog was discontinued. Chris blogs at his own blog Random Thoughts From The Revolution. Follow him on Twitter here.| MORE ›

As the news came in of the death of Bin Laden, print and television media around the world rushed to report the story, millions of people sent each other text messages as others took the news globally on Twitter — setting a new record for sustained use of the service — and in many cities, from New York to Boise, Idaho, to Athens, Georgia, people took to the streets in spontaneous celebration.| MORE ›

This post first appeared at NewsReal Blog.

I’m expecting a lot from disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s federal corruption trial, for which the jury selection started today.| MORE ›

The Republican National Committee just released a new ad video, in which the GOP just about destroys President Obama – which is, obviously, a good thing.

In it, the RNC challenges Obama’s economic decision and record over the last two-and-a-half years, reports Wake up America!

Transcript (via WuA, with some slight corrections):| MORE ›

So, Barack Obama is currently touring Europe. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: Europe, why? Doesn’t he detest the Old Continent?

Well, yeah. Judging by the way he has treated Europe ever since he became president, at least.

Apparently, however, he now feels we’re somehow of vital importance for his agenda.| MORE ›

I’ve been thinking about of the Middle East speech Obama will give tomorrow morning. Here are a few points of things I think the speech should cover:

• New governments in Middle Eastern countries must be of a liberal democratic nature, not an authoritarian/Islamist variety.
| MORE ›

The New York Times has been running a column on their website called “The Stone”,  which is billed as a forum for contemporary philosophers on issues that are “both timely and timeless”.| MORE ›

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has had enough with the left-wing attacks on her state after its legislature passed a now controversial law to curb illegal immigration. She was especially irritated by a joke President Obama made about this law at the recent White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Back then Obama said, once again proving he has sense of humor:| MORE ›