Jobs

Republicans may try to poo poo the new jobs numbers, but the fact remains: more jobs were added in the last month than had been added in the last four years. That's a good thing. Economists are happy and all signs point to even greater gains. Republicans should start looking for a new shtick.

Friday Cat

FinReg amendments

In a fair world the Kaufman-Brown break-up-the-big-banks amendment and the Sanders audit-the-Fed amendment would pass forcing the White House to make a choice the left has had to make since forever: support a bill they don't like in exchange for getting shit done.

I'm an Obama supporter, but watching the White House twist on this would be sweet after all the public-option bitter.

Update: Kaufman-Brown voted down 33-61. Not good. Not good at all. I expected better.

The GOP's Tea bag conundrum

How long will TeaBagger enthusiasm last when their candidates are losing elections? With so much invested in demonizing establishment GOP candidates, I don't see how they rationalize a vote for the same.

Hubris

BP CEO Tony Hayward:

BP “will honour all legitimate claims for business interruption”. Asked for examples of illegitimate claims, he said: “I could give you lots of examples. This is America — come on. We’re going to have lots of illegitimate claims. We all know that.”

The disdain from our corporate overlords is unending.

Lindsey Graham likes his terrorists packing heat

In Graham's world not all constitutional rights are created equal.

Energy bill in doubt

If a disaster like the one unfolding in the Gulf is not enough to ensure an energy bill with a huge push toward clean energy and an ever bigger push away from the dirty than we are doomed as a country.

A + B should = C, but it never seems to when $ is part of the equation.

Quote of the Day

"I know he’s an American citizen but still." -- Rep. Peter King (NY) on reading Miranda to Times Square car bombing guy. Republicans love to pick and choose which citizens they will allow rights to. Sorry, but the Constitution just doesn't work that way.

No vote on SAFE Banking Act?

Simon Johnson:

With such strong arguments and powerful evidence on its side, you might think that the completely reasonable and responsible proposals in the SAFE Banking Act would get a vote. But you would be wrong.

The Senate leadership – on both sides of the aisle – has apparently decided that they do not want to give senators (and the public) the opportunity to focus their attention on this key issue. Instead, they would prefer to keep the “debate”, in terms of votes, on issues less likely to infuriate powerful banks.

This is the FinReg amendment Senator Kaufman and Senator Brown have been pushing for weeks. It would basically end too-big-to-fail. The amendment is a chance for preening politicians to put their constituents ahead of their big-money donors. If Simon Johnson is right, that it won't get a vote, then this is very bad news.

Phone calls need to be made.

Truth in Comics

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

May Day 2010 NYC

Not TeaBaggers.