Oliver Willis

One of the first political bloggers in the world, Oliver Willis has operated OliverWillis.com since 2000. Contributor at Media Matters for America and The American Independent. Follow on Twitter at @owillis. Full bio.

Avengers: Age of Ultron Review

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There is no sophomore slump in Avengers: Age of Ultron. It delivers on the epic superhero moments we’ve been led to believe are the linchpins of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the most thrilling collection of comic-connected films we’ve ever had. Watching the film I realized the value of having the Avengers movies serve as the hub in Marvel’s movie plans because otherwise you would be hard pressed to squeeze in the characterizations of the lead characters. Instead, coming in to Avengers we know the backstory to Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man, and the film doesn’t need to waste time in telling us how they react to the attacks made against them. Instead that time is spent on giving us more nuggets about Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk, and the new additions Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. This movie never drags, but has quieter moments that don’t seem as if the director is being forced to take a time out like in a Michael Bay movie. James Spader is great as Ultron, and his take on being an evil super robot as a sarcastic ghoul rather than a soulless world conqueror is refreshing, and makes more sense than the alien invasion in the original Avengers – well, as much sense as comic book superhero villainy can make while … Read more

There Is No Liberal Fox News. Thank God.

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Liberal Fox News, On Earth 2 Imagine that on an alternate earth somewhere in another dimension, the Democratic Party has lost the majority of the presidential vote in three out of the last four elections. After a two-term Republican president, the party stands ready to adjust to the times and re-capture the White House. Now … Read more

Beware The Bored Press

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Hillary Clinton will likely be the Democratic nominee. Jeb Bush has a good shot at winning the Republican nomination. Whoever wins the Democratic nomination is more likely though not inevitable to win the next presidential election. All three of these statements are rooted in polling, historical trends and common sense. They are not written in … Read more

Was Martin Luther King Jr. A Republican?

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Martin Luther King Jr.

Short answer: no. If you ever find yourself arguing with conservatives about Martin Luther King Jr. (and if you’re a black liberal this always happens), inevitably they will assert that King was a Republican. This is often based on a claim from Alveda King, his niece, a conservative who has been disavowed by most of … Read more

What Was The Southern Strategy?

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After the passage of the Civil Rights Act, many southern Democrats rebelled against the party. Alabama Governor George Wallace ran against Johnson in the Democratic primary, but lost. By 1968, Wallace had left the Democrats and ran in the general election on the segregationist American Independent Party ticket, earning 9.9 million votes, 13% of the … Read more

11 Years and Thousands Of Lives Later, Conservatives Are Still Lying About The Iraq War

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You would think that after promoting and cheerleading for the Iraq War and the politicians who pushed that failed policy, that conservatives would have found some humility or honesty about the topic along the way. You would be wrong. The conservative movement and the Republican Party are still lying to themselves and everyone else about … Read more

Pearl Lowe, My Grandma, 1926-2013

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It’s hard for me to understand, emotionally, that my grandmother is gone. I understand it intellectually. She was 87, her body was failing, and was in home hospice care. But emotionally, I can’t comprehend that she’s gone. My grandmother has been a constant presence in my life since almost the day I was born. It … Read more

C.K.: November 22, 1999 – January 7, 2012

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I lost my best friend today. C.K. was in my life for exactly 12 years, 2 weeks and a day. We first brought him home on December 23, 1999. He was so small, he fit in the palm of my hand. As a miniature dachshund, he never got really big, but at 15lbs now he … Read more

Rush Limbaugh Is Really A Sick Person

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VIDEO: LRA Survivor Responds To Limbaugh: “My Heart Breaks” Evelyn Apoko, a survivor of atrocities committed by the Lord’s Resistance Army, has recorded a video appeal to Limbaugh. Oliver WillisOne of the first political bloggers in the world, Oliver Willis has operated OliverWillis.com since 2000. Contributor at Media Matters for America and The American Independent. Follow … Read more