Monday Link-Up

Another round of links to start your week --

LINKS

Rolling Stone has a piece about America's last prisoner of war in Afghanistan, Bowe Bergdahl, and how this single individual could be holding up the end of the conflict.  It is a "long read", so feel free to spread it out across a few days or a long metro ride.

The Washington Post looks into Barack Obama's crumbling coalition amongst LGTB and immigrant groups, with contrasting advocacy for the former that has created resentment amongst the latter.  When you look into the motivations for why powerful interests oppose certain reforms, immigration is often the most depressing.  Those who exploit immigrant workers in harsh conditions with low wages are mostly able to do so due to the threat of deportation, effectively using Uncle Sam as their "muscle". Opposition to gay rights seem to be fading.  There's no reason to believe opposition to immigration reform ever will.

"Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward" (I always had those names flipped in my head) proved that despite retirement, death, and burial, they DO still have Nixon to kick around whenever they darn well please, thank you very much.  The two journalists review the "five wars of Nixon", broadening the picture on just how many horrible things Nixon did in office and how he tried to bury it all after leaving the White House.  Blame it on my youth or my history teachers, but I had a much more narrow view of a single break-in, while Woodward and Bernstein describe all manner of domestic espionage and bribery that even went so far as to break into Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office.

Paired with this article in the paper edition was a siren's call warning that investigative journalism, seeming to be a bedrock of print journalism ever since the Watergate scandal 40 years ago, is in danger.  The sad truth is that we should care about the decisions of our elected officials, even outside of their public office, particularly if they show a fault in judgment or character.  Without journalists, we need to base those judgments almost entirely on what those same politicians are willing to tell us.

On that subject: "But in dozens of interviews in Washington and London, those who knew Halligen described how he created a trail of creditors, from lawyers to landlords to housekeepers. And they said he left a group of Washington insiders wondering how one charming and audacious hustler managed to seduce them all."

The New York Times notes that the GOP's policy on gay marriage may be compelled to follow the money as bundlers like billionaire Paul Singer look to redirect focus in favor of marriage equality.


You could be excited about the O's two extra innings wins against the Phearsome Phils, or you could note that they barely scraped out a series win against a last place team.  A win is a win is a win.


First, HoCo has a new reporter in town and I would like to be one of the first to welcome Arthur Hirsch to the beat.  Second, I think Arthur does a really great job on this article about the Downtown Partnership, which even incorporates some Rouse-isms.  As I have noted before, I think it is critical that we inject more community leaders into the Partnership in order to fulfill its purpose.  I look forward to the Council giving this legislation additional scrutiny to make sure all stakeholders are consulted prior to passage.  


This Road-Rage incident in Glen Burnie is pretty scary.  First the guy runs another car off the road.  THEN, when someone else pulls over to help, he gets back into his car to rear-end them.  Be careful out there, folks.


Featured Blog Post(s) of the Day: WB winds up his "awesome" weekend with some pics from around town.  I, too, had an awesome weekend, which is making this Monday a little more difficult than others.


That's all for today.  Have a great Monday doing what you love!