SNL does Rahm

Health Care Summit

If it exposes the GOP for the mindless, policy-free, fear-mongers that they are, then great. If it gives cover to those lawmakers still too scared to do the right thing, then great. If it brings a reluctant public along, then great. Summit away. Who knows, maybe it is a brilliant strategy, but I'm more whatever than anything else. I'd rather they just jump to reconciliation, explain why, and get it done. But that's just me.

Truth in Comics

If it's Sunday, it's Truth in Comics.

Low risk of double-dip

I sure hope Geithner's right. Reality, however, is painting a different picture. Have we learned nothing from the Bush years?

Senator Shelby, why so defensive?

Lash out much? Personally, I'd rather "coddle" a terrorist than hold the Senate hostage like one (but then again I kind of dig the Constitution and all those pesky rights).

Friday Cat

Rahm

It's pretty clear at this point that Rahm Emanuel is scared of Republicans (and fearless of hippies). Maybe his, yet to be seen, legislative brilliance outweighs all that, but it seems the trade-off has resulted in weak politics and an even weaker moral standing. He's the wrong man for the times. It's a shame the president can't see that.

State of the Day makes the Daily Show

Yes, we were being mocked, but who cares. The brief moment of fame comes right at the 1:00 minute mark.

Deficit hysteria

It's all politics. Republicans are willing to let their constituents continue to flounder so they can score political points. At this point I don't expect anything different from them. However, it would be nice to see a Democrat or two debunking the fear as opposed to playing along (and this goes for the president too).

Franken

Got to love Al. I have no problem if the White House wants to tackle healthcare reform on the down low and focus on jobs in public, but Al Franken is right. Leadership is sorely needed. The loss of the Democrats' super-majority was a gift to be pounced on. It put reconciliation firmly on the table and with that the doors to more progressive reform opened. So, work out the kinks in private, fine, but they better come out strong once they've stop wetting the bed.

Time for recess appointments?

Beyond time.

120 House Democrats demand public option

Glad to see some life (and some fight), but, seriously, who's going to listen? Pessimism sucks.

Question time with the Dems

The Dems are trying to repeat the glory from Friday. I was skeptical (too much of a good thing and too friendly an audience). However, once again, it shows how versed the president is in policy, how serious the Dems are about governing, and it's allowing for more GOP pushback (not to mention some conservative Dem pushback--yes, I'm talking to you, Blanche Lincoln). For now, and it's far from over at this writing, the exercise gets a thumbs up.

More presidential pushback courtesy of Rachel

However, for the AP, pushback is a double-edged sword. Seriously.

Quote of the Day

"No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens." -- Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to the Senate Armed Services Committee on DADT. Considering the source, really, just wow.

Luntzing financial reform

Democrats be warned. I've seen this play before and it doesn't end well. In an up-is-down, black-is-white world Frank Luntz is an evil genius. Emphasis on the evil.

GOP willing to cut defense spending?

Does anyone really think John Boehner put cutting defense spending on the table for any other reason than simply because the president didn't. The GOP is not only the party of no, they are the party of no living on Bizarro World.

Truth in Comics

If it's Sunday, it's Truth in Comics.

Obama takes on the GOP

It's everything they say it is. This kind of push back should have been happening all year.

Friday Cat

Headlines matter

Economists may be hedging, but today's blaring headlines about surging growth should buy Obama, and Democrats generally, some goodwill with a souring public. Headlines matter. Yes, actual jobs and a real recovery matter more, but in a soundbite society today is a good day.

Quote of the Day

"This is the most partisan decision since Bush v. Gore. That decision by the activist conservative bloc on the Supreme Court intervened in a presidential election. This decision is broader and more damaging in that they have now decided to intervene in all elections." -- Senator Patrick Leahy, on the Senate floor, slamming last week's dreadful Supreme Court decision.

SOTU

So the president generally played to the right last night, I'm not going to bitch about that. Politically speaking, he's putting Republicans in a box and that's a good thing. Otherwise, I liked that he called out the Supreme Court directly (and Alito should be ashamed of his response), that he took the Republicans to task over their obstructionism and that he defended his policies without sounding defensive. He was feisty, yet personable at the same time.

Will the speech help get things done? Probably not. But with the striking optics of a petulant GOP sitting on their hands, it should help remind the American people who the bad guys are.

Random

People who post in comment sections live on a different planet than I do.

That damn Senate

Now that the Senate can't hide behind their super majority, using reconciliation to add the needed fixes to HCR should be viewed by wobbly senators as an opportunity, a golden opportunity to make this bill better (even a chance to get back the public option). Hell, it's a chance to poke Lieberman in the eye and prove to the American people that one person can't derail the will of the majority. The House is ready, but the Senate is missing in action.

The president needs to push for exactly this tonight. Unfortunately, I don't hold out hope for that. I see a piecemeal, watered-down healthcare bill in our future and that would be a crying shame.

Lieberman fail

With the pound of flesh Joe Lieberman took from the Senate health care bill he should be the last one to advocate for any kind of do-over (let alone a bi-partisan one). Joe, you earned your Aetna paycheck. Now shut the fuck up.

Random

Every once in a while I use my opposable thumb and understand.

Spending freeze

Sure I'm disappointed, but really I'm too tired to fight on this one. This surgical freeze seems more like politics than anything else. Why they had to play politics to the right is beyond me. I'm guessing this bone was to give Evan Bayh and the Blue Dogs something to run on and maybe bring some independents back into the fold. I only wish the president would throw a bone to the left once and a while. DADT, anyone?

Quote of the Day

"What you have here is big babyism. After the worst downturn in memory, bequeathed a massive and growing debt, two failing wars, a financial sector threatening to bring down the entire economy, Obama has betrayed this person by preventing a Second Great Depression." -- Andrew Sullivan, in response to an independent's absurd Obama complaint (which--thanks to a feckless messaging machine--has become conventional wisdom).

The cliff is still only feet away

And if Democrats listen to Harold Ford Jr.'s advice to "address budget deficits now rather than waiting for some ideal future economic situation" we are sure to go over that cliff. We need to spend and Democrats need to explain why. And when they are done explaining, they must explain it all over again. And again. And again.

Quote of the Day

"The Village has officially turned. I'm guessing they'll be calling for his resignation by July." -- Digby, after watching the Sunday shows eviscerate Obama and his administration today.

Truth in Comics

If it's Sunday, it's Truth in Comics.

Saturday Cat

Healthcare reform

I lean toward passing the senate bill and let the chips fall where they may. The damage to democrats has already been done. If reconciliation can be used by the Senate later to fix it then they should be pushed hard to do so. I guess, in the end, I'm more moderate than fire-breathing liberal. There's too much good in the bill to let it die.

Bernanke nomination in doubt

I know someone's toying with my emotions here, but dumping Ben Bernanke would be good thing. As I've said in the past, I do give him credit for his creativity in stopping a financial collapse, but he also should have seen that collapse coming. Throw in his hostile testimony toward Social Security and Medicare last month and that should be enough for Democrats to say no to his second term. Not to mention, doing so would show some of that much needed Democratic spine we've all been waiting for.

Wall Street tumbles

I get that they don't welcome regulation, but shouldn't they? A stable, less-risky environment would, in the end, be beneficial. Who wants to trade when, as we saw over the past year, all could be lost in a day due to an over-leveraged bank on the verge of collapse? I don't get it.

Geithner gripes

If Obama needed an excuse to dump Geithner, this should do it. Mind you, I'm not holding my breath.

Bush's Supreme Court strikes again

Unrestricted corporate spending in campaigns. We are all shareholders now (except without the dividends, the capital gains, and any say about how the United Corporation States of America will be run). This is just great.

The end of too-big-to-fail?

I'll believe it when I see it, but the mere fact that Paul Volcker's name is in the same sentence as Obama's is a good start. Taking on the banks is good policy and good politics. More like this, please.

Unsubscribing hope

I finally unsubscribed from Obama's Organizing for America's email list tonight with this message: "Too much capitulation to Republicans. Show some fight and I'll be back."

I realize it means nothing, but it felt good.

Quote of the Day

"I think we ought to withdraw the current Senate bill and instead just pass a bipartisan resolution that Americans should strive to be healthier!" -- El Cid, reacting to the president's continued bi-partisan delusion.

What The Masshole Mess Means

The Wall Street wing of the [Democratic] party can’t see the fury that is building across the country. Americans are scared and angry. They see big banks getting bailed out while they are losing jobs and their homes are underwater. They are disgusted with backroom negotiations with conservatives of both parties over health care. The public option and taxing the wealthy are far more popular than the compromised plans. Big government is unpopular not because of the size of its deficits but because the money seems to be going to big banks and big businesses.

Read more at Campaign For America's Future.

Inevitability is not a campaign strategy

Didn't Hillary's primary run prove this. Hubris, plain and simple.

Brown wins

Another wingnut to join the chorus of the stupid, fucking awesome.

Absolutely delusional

If the White House actually believes that a Brown win would usher in an age of bipartisanship because "pressure on Republicans to participate in the process" will increase, they are living on another planet. What part of NO did they not understand?

Nostradamus

I believe he predicted Brown would win today and the world would end. Or not. Deep breaths, people. The Village may want to make today the end of Obama's presidency, but it's not. That being said, come on, Massachusetts, don't let this Teabagger into the Senate. Please. It's embarrassing.

Truth in Comics

If it's Sunday, it's Truth in Comics.

Massachusetts special election

It's really quite simple for Massachusetts, would you like a senator who's going to sit on his hands and say no for the next three years or do you want one that will actually work for their paycheck? You choose.

Friday Cat

Haiti

Links to help can be found here.

Truth in Comics

If it's Sunday, it's Truth in Comics.

Friday Cat

I want to blog

See, I want to blog. I want to say something about the news of the day. But if I did, all I would be saying is STFU over and over again. Rudy, STFU. Cheney, STFU. Hoekstra, DeMint, King, STFU. I could go on, but you get the point. There are no arguments against these guys, because they just make shit up and the media lets them. I really need the stupid to go away.

Update: BooMan feeling the same way yesterday.