So why isn’t any of the so-called leadership — in the Capitol or in the Oval Office — listening?
On the Huffington Post, Paul Begala offers his own, lucid take on the choice facing Democrats: Pass the Senate bill, or collapse completely come November. It’s worth the time to read.
Now, here’s hoping the Democrats in charge get their acts together, get their courage on, and get moving. Pass. The. Damn. Bill.
David Plouffe, campaign adviser to the Obama campaign and author of Audacity to Win, has written a much-needed op-ed in the Washington Post. In it, he outlines the shape of a legislative strategy that would allow the Democrats to survive the coming midterm elections. It’s worth a full read but the bullet-point summary is
Good advice from a guy who’s shown he knows how to win. Let’s hope someone in Washington is listening.
This is the day.
This is the moment that some clever historian — not the first to consider this sweep of time, but rather someone turning over the leaves looking for a more subtle causation — will draw a slash on the timeline of history and write: Here began the fall of the American republic.
(a) The rite in the Catholic Church formerly known as penace.
(b) A process whereby congressional resolutions are harmonized with the budget. Under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, it provides a procedure to consider (certain types of) bills without allowing a fillibuster in the Senate. As such it’s suddenly become the hot topic legislatively. I would explain further but I’d muck it up. Instead, read this by Sarah Binder over at the Monkey Cage. It’s very lucid.
in convenient cartoon form.
I got this via Ezra Klein’s fantastic blog, but apparently it’s by Tom Toles.
I haven’t really gotten involved in haranguing my elected representatives before, but the possibility of health care reform is so tantalizingly close — and the apparent drift of the Democratic so-called “leadership” is so grindingly predictable and frustrating — that I’ve felt compelled to contact my representative several times. Below the fold is the email I’ve sent.
UPDATE: I claim no particular credit, but according to Talking Points Memo, Rep. Holt has in fact come out in support of (what I feel to be) the correct option, passing the Senate bill. (I am indifferent as to whether it needs to be done straight up or with amendments via reconciliation.)
(more…)Pass health care reform.
Pass the frakking Senate bill as is and have the President sign it before the State of the Union. Heck, have him sign it at the State of the Union. Yes, it will enrage the Republicans but in case you haven’t noticed, the Republicans are already the party of incohate rage. Nothing is going to mollify them. (more…)
Apparently, Rudy Guliani is even more of a hack than I had suspected. Despite being the mayor of New York City during attacks that killed 3000 people, Guliani apparently doesn’t think they count. After all, how else can he explain going on Good Morning America and saying, “We had no domestic attacks under Bush”?
By the way, since Guliani also apparently can’t read a calendar, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that he thinks the deaths of 3000 Americans is not an “attack”. We’ll leave aside the shoe bomber or the anthrax mails, too.
Can you believe this guy was once considered a serious contender for the nomination for President?
With the health care bill finally moving forward in both houses of Congress, it’s a good time to take stock, take a breath, and take a look at what’s inside. Below are some links to useful summaries and commentaries.
More as I come across them.
Headline at ABC News: “Democrats are Dropping Like Flies”
Reality:
| Not seeking reelection for |
US House |
US Senate |
Governor |
| Democrats |
10 |
2 |
3 |
| Republicans |
14 |
6 |
4 |
So the retiring Republicans outnumber the retiring Democrats in every chamber— and in what we are told is destined to be a “Republican year” — yet it’s the Democrats who are dropping like flies?
How exactly did the myth of a liberal bias in major media ever get started??
See Political Animal for more details.