Showing posts with label Arianna Huffington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arianna Huffington. Show all posts

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Arianna Huffington, David Brookson and others debate American politics



"Basically, the two-party system is like a stale marriage. Democrats and Republicans need something to spice it up. They need to go on Craigslist and find a third party."
~ Arianna Huffington


16 Feb 2011 19:07 Africa/Lagos


'America's House Divided'

Intelligence Squared Debates Examines America's Two-Party System

Arianna Huffington & David Brooks Square Off Against P.J. O'Rourke & Zev Chafets to Debate: America's Two-Party System is Making America Ungovernable
Debate to broadcast on NPR stations nationwide and telecast on Bloomberg TV globally beginning February 21 at 9PM EST

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Feb. 16, 2011

NEW YORK, Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The latest round in America's premier debate series, Intelligence Squared Debates, pitted President and Editor-in-Chief of Huffington Post Media Group, Arianna Huffington and New York Times columnist David Brooks, against America's premier political satirist P.J. O'Rourke, and Zev Chafets, contributor to the New York Times Magazine and founding editor of the Jerusalem Report.

The controversial resolution at Intelligence Squared Debates' (IQ2US) latest intellectual matchup was the second in their themed season, "America's House Divided." The debate was moderated by ABC News Nightline's John Donvan.

Key excerpts from the debate include:

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON

"Basically, the two-party system is like a stale marriage. Democrats and Republicans need something to spice it up. They need to go on Craigslist and find a third party."

DAVID BROOKS

"So they're weird social creatures [politicians]. Nonetheless, I would say in general, they are better people than one would anticipate. Most of them are in it for the right reason, but they're stuck in a rotten system. They're stuck in our current two-party system which forces them to behave in ways that are worse than they are. It's a mind suck."

P.J. O'ROURKE

"Now, I would argue in favor of America's two-party system not because of America's two political parties but because America doesn't really have political parties at all … Republicans and Democrats don't have ideologies. They just have these vague platform planks made of rotten wood of political expediency. If American party platforms were backyard tree forts, you would not let your children climb in them. Anyone can join an American political party, even a witch!"

ZEV CHAFETS

"In multi-party systems, there are many people who also don't feel that they're represented by any of the parties. And I, having lived in a country [Israel] that has 14 parties, I can tell you that I didn't find any that represented me -- that's sort of an inherent problem of democracy. If you have a party that fits the taste of every person or every group of people, you'll have hundreds or a multiplicity of parties that makes it impossible to govern."

For this specific debate, the audience not only voted on the resolution, but also identified their political party affiliation – Republican, Democrat, Independent – at the top of the evening. Before the debate, the IQ2US audience voted with the following:

* 46 % of audience agreeing with the resolution
* 24 % of audience against the resolution
* 30 % undecided


After carefully considering the points, P.J. O'Rourke and Zev Chafets won the debate -- the team that moves the most votes at the end of the evening is determined the winner.

* 50 % of audience agreeing with the resolution
* 40 % of audience against the resolution
* 10 % undecided


The showdown at NYU's Skirball Center in New York City (566 LaGuardia Place) put the leading public intellectuals in the limelight in front of a live sold-out audience of 800 for nearly two hours of heated debate.

To learn more about the debate and review a detailed breakdown of how Republicans, Democrats, and Independents in the audience voted pre- and post-debate, please visit our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/Think2Twice

ABOUT INTELLIGENCE SQUARED DEBATES (IQ2US)

Rethink your point of view with Intelligence Squared U.S. (IQ2US), Oxford-style debates live from New York City. Based on the highly successful debate program based in London, Intelligence Squared, Intelligence Squared U.S. has presented 46 debates on a wide range of provocative and timely topics. From global warming and the financial crisis, to Afghanistan/Pakistan and the death of mainstream media, Intelligence Squared brings together the world's leading authorities on the day's most important issues.

Since its inception in 2006, the goals have been to provide a new forum for intelligent discussion, grounded in facts and informed by reasoned analysis; to transcend the toxically emotional and the reflexively ideological; and to encourage recognition that the opposing side has intellectually respectable views.

The Rosenkranz Foundation initiated the Intelligence Squared U.S. Debate Series and continues to provide major support.

SOURCE Intelligence Squared Debates
NOTE TO EDITORS: To view transcripts and videos, download audio or video clips or learn more about Intelligence Squared U.S. please visit: http://intelligencesquaredus.org/index.php/debates/america-divided-us-politics/ --- Bloomberg TV will air the debate on February 21, 22, and 23 at 9:00pm EST with additional repeats ongoing throughout the weekend. To find Bloomberg TV in your area, please visit: www.bloomberg.com/intelligence-squared-debates --- NPR will air the debate on stations nationwide and provide podcast availability to download (need exact language from NPR). Please check with your local NPR stations for additional details or visit: www.npr.org/intelligencesquared --- John Donvan, correspondent for ABC News Nightline, is moderator of Intelligence Squared Debates. Dana Wolfe is the executive producer. --- 2011 marks Intelligence Squared Debates fifth series and is themed, "America's House Divided." IQ2US' first debate of the spring season featured health care reform. Upcoming debates this season will focus on: clean energy, America's global reach and immigration. IQ2US' 2010 fall season highlighted issues including: the treatment of captured terrorists, whether Islam is a religion of peace, big government, the war in Afghanistan and airport profiling.

CONTACT: Robert Pini, +1-212-918-2048, or +1-917-674-6575, Robert@high10media.com

Web Site: http://intelligencesquaredus.org

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16 Feb 2011
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10:28 IIUM Confers Honorary Doctorate on His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al-Nuaimi
14 Feb 2011
18:26 African Union / Provisional Programme of Work of the PSC for February 2011
16:09 US $ 5 million from BADEA to Zimbabwe
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04:59 Uganda / Head of EU Delegation, EAC Deputy Secretary General meet
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05:10 Secretary-General's Panel on the Referenda in the Sudan / Statement to the Security Council
10 Feb 2011
14:51 US Ambassador Rice at U.N. Security Council Briefing on Sudan
05:04 South Sudan votes for independence
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17 Feb 2011
12:18 The deVere Group Sponsors Alex Flynn in 10 Million Metres Challenge for Charity
12:12 Rosoboronexport to Present a Unique Combat Vehicle at IDEX 2011
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11:20 Love: It's Not Just for Valentine's Day!
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09:00 Cutting the Green Tape
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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Gifts to Charity to Honor the 40th Anniversary of the Internet



29 Oct 2009 01:18 Africa/Lagos


Kevin Kimberlin, Chairman of Spencer Trask, will be featured along with Arianna Huffington and Internet creator Leonard Kleinrock at a special celebration marking the 40th year of the Internet. JOIN UCLA's celebration on October 29th online with UCLA's live feed at
http://tinyurl.com/uclaia40



Gifts to Charity to Honor the 40th Anniversary of the Internet

Spencer Trask & Co., the network of private equity investors, teams with Inlieuofagift.com for unique giving opportunity on October 29, 2009

GREENWICH, Conn., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Spencer Trask & Co., the leading private investment firm discovering and developing ideas to shape the 21st century, will join Leonard Kleinrock, the founder of the Internet, to honor the 40th anniversary of the Internet at a day long event at UCLA on October 29th, 2009.Members of the Spencer Trask network have been encouraged to make a financial gift to the charity of their choice in recognition of the impact the Internet has had on our global awareness and collaborative action. Spencer Trask has joined forces with the website Inlieuofagift.com to make a charitable donation in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Internet an easy online experience.Inlieuofagift.com offers electronic invitations with a "donate now" button associated with the charity of the party host's choice. Guests are asked to make a donation in lieu of bringing a gift. There are no fees and all donations are 100% tax deductible. Inlieuofagift.com partners with Guidestar.org and Justgive.org to offer access to 1.8 million charities, and has been featured on the Today Show and Oprah.com. Don Tapscott, the author of the bestseller Wikinomics and internationally renowned authority on the strategic impact of information technology on innovation, announced his gift to Tigweb.org in his Huffington Post entry today, "A Personal Card to the Internet. Happy 40th Birthday!". A member of the Spencer Trask & Co. network, Mr. Tapscott wrote, "I'm hopeful others will send similar presents as well." Kevin Kimberlin, Chairman of Spencer Trask & Co. and the Angel Investor who commercialized the wave division multiplexing technology that opened up the lanes of the data superhighway, will be speaking at a special event at UCLA along with Leonard Kleinrock, the recognized "Father of the Internet." Mr. Kimberlin says, "Even after 40 years, the consequences and impact of the Internet on collaboration and innovation remain limitless. I encourage all those who value the Internet to honor its 40th birthday and its founders by using the event as a reason to donate to the charity of their choice through Inlieuofagift.com."


Source: Spencer Trask & Co.

CONTACT: Mary Thigpen, Spencer Trask & Co., +1-212-326-9200,
mthigpen@spencertraskco.com, www.spencertrask.com; Jennifer Falvey, Managing
Director, Inlieuofagift.com, +1-203-966-0444, www.inlieuofagift.com


Web Site: http://www.spencertrask.com/


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