Shameless: Republicans’ self-executing hypocrisy rule
Norm Ornstein says it all:
… I can’t recall a level of feigned indignation nearly as great as what we are seeing now from congressional Republicans and their acolytes at the Wall Street Journal, and on blogs, talk radio, and cable news. It reached a ridiculous level of misinformation and disinformation over the use of reconciliation, and now threatens to top that level over the projected use of a self-executing rule by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Read more
Lawrence O’Donnell makes the case for not passing healthcare reform
Lawrence O'Donnell: this too shall not pass ... probably
Lawrence O’Donnell has been the bitter pill of “Morning Joe” lately, explaining ad nauseum, in his uniquely pompous, Lawrence O’Donnell style, why the healthcare reform bill steamrolling its way through the House and Senate even as we speak, probably (though not definitely) will not pass. O’Donnell, who considers himself a scholar of arcane Senate procedure, having worked for the Senate finance committee like 100 years ago, says the procedures being considered in the House, to “deem the Senate bill passed” and then vote on the reconciliation package, has never been done, and therefore will probably not be able to be done, though he isn’t making any predictions, unless you consider “it’s never been done and probably therefore will not be done” a prediction. That said, this morning, we finally got to the bottom of Lawrence’s peevishness on the issue. He doesn’t think the bill should pass. Where some viewers might have thought he is with Joe Scarborough in not wanting it, he’s actually with Dennis Kucinich. Read more
Lincoln Diaz-Balart to retire
How come when Republicans decide not to run for re-election the media don’t consider it a sign of the demise of that party? Just asking… Anyway, my Congressman (funny, because I don’t live in Miami, which has been the sole focus of his political life) Lincoln Diaz-Balart is calling it quits. Can’t say I’ll weep. Diaz-Balart and his brother Mario have dragged Miami politics kicking and screaming into the belly of the old Cuban parliament, where their father served as Speaker and as undersecretary of the interior during the brutal (some would say fascist) Batista dictatorship, (and a former roommate and brother-in-law, of Fidel Castro.) The Diaz-Balarts’ war on Uncle Fidel has been the all-consuming drive of their political lives, to the detriment, in my opinion, of their districts, not to mention to Americans’ freedom to travel, or to enjoy the occasional Los Van Van concert without enduring a three-part harangue (from them and their partner in crime, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.) Politico reports LDB will announce his retirement at a presser this afternoon. And they add, rather of matter-of-factly: Read more
Someone to love
As speaker, Nancy Pelosi adheres to the "ABCD" principle: "always be cutting deals."
They say Republicans fall in line, while Democrats fall in love. Well, Democrats who have been dispirited by the capitulations of the Obama White House and the weasily vibe of Senate “conservadems” yet have a handful of folks they can adore: from sharp tongued Alan Grayson and Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, to Bernie Sanders, to the reignited Howard Dean (all of whom are loved more because they are so despised by the other side.) But no one gets it done like Nancy, most recently, on jobs. Read more
Maybe it’s just me …
… but I find myself wishing Debbie Wasserman Schultz was a candidate to be the Democratic Senate nominee from Florida. In a state with only a handful of political stars (Alan Grayson is another, but may be too unpredictable to grow beyond the House,) she certainly is one. Her appearance on “This Week” today was a fine example of how Democrats, when they have convictions, can sock it to the opposition without appearing shrill. Watch as the congresswoman, a breast cancer survivor herself, takes down Marsha Blackburn and her blizzard of page numbers (raise your hand if you think Blackburn has really read the House healthcare bill…) for politicizing the illness:
Nice work. Read more
The lunatics OWN the asylum: Hoffman pledges his ’sacred honor’ to Glenn Beck
The New York 23 race just never gets old. Doug Hoffman, the third-party candidate who now has the official endorsement of the party his supporters are still trashing online, and whose candidate the teabaggers forced out of the race, is on record as having pledged his “sacred honor” to … wait for it … Glenn Beck and the 9/12 movement (America is good, America!!!) What? Not Rush Limbaugh??? Read more
Teabaggers claim the scalp of Dede Scozzafava
One of many uncomfortable moments for former Congressional candidate Dede Scozzafava in New York's 23rd District. From Politico.
It’s been a long, ugly campaign for Dede Scozzafava, who had been chosen by the local political leadership in New York’s District 23 to be their candidate. That decision was endorsed by national Republican political leaders, including the NRCC and Michael “The Awesome Hip-Hop Makeover” Steele, as well it should be, since really, national party mucky-mucks have no business, really, telling local pols what to do in their own districts. Well… try telling that to national teabaggers, who have no such respect for local decision-making. They, of the teabag set, led by the online storm troopers like RedState.com, along with their queen, Sarah Palin, decided to stick their noses into the New York 23 race, to prove that a “real conservative” must be chosen in every race, everywhere, or else. Glenn Beck even got into the act, doing his now tired shtick of calling Scozzafava a Marxist. Yes, yes, Glenn, who isn’t? Read more
Stand with Alan Grayson
No, he’s not the Democratic Joe Wilson. And as long as Republican lawmakers can get away with accusing the President and Democrats of plotting to euthanize old people, using the Census to steal our souls, and creating “sex clinics” in our schools where kids can get abortions like take out food (the last two just from Michelle Bachman,) there is absolutely nothing for Florida Congressman Alan Grayson to apologize for. In fact, what he said isn’t far off, since Republicans prefer the status quo in healthcare, which is literally killing people, and have zero plans to fix it.
Good going, Grayson. Keep it up!
To make a donation to Grayson’s campaign coffers, head on over here.
To hear Grayson call the GOP “knuckle dragging neanderthals” on CNN, go here. (It’s well worth the trip.)
As for you Republicans? Congressman Grayson thanks you.
Roll Call to Joe Wilson: You LIE!!!
I don’t know Jim Clyburn personally, but I’m guessing … and this is just a guess … he’s probably not Congressman Joe Wilson’s best alibi (Shhh! … I don’t think he likes him…!) And yet Wilson, who apparently is feeling the hot breath of his competitor, Rob Miller, on the back of his neck, and whose district apparently is 1 quarter African-American (and probably three-quarters non-rude…) tried to use his supposed support for Clyburn’s daughter in a past election as the latest evidence of his gentlemanliness. Well … Mr. Wilson … YOU LIE!!!! Note this correction that ran in Roll Call on Friday:
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) voted against the daughter of House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) for a spot on the state Public Service Commission in 1998 when Wilson was a state Senator, contrary to a statement he made to Roll Call Wednesday.
So what’s up? The State has the background story… Read more
Paul Krugman explains it all: the bad (but possibly fixable) Baucus bill
Paul Krugman finds three major problems with the Max Tax bill:
First, it bungles the so-called “employer mandate.” Most reform plans include a provision requiring that large employers either provide their workers with health coverage or pay into a fund that would help workers who don’t get insurance through their job buy coverage on their own. Mr. Baucus, however, gets too clever, trying to tie each employer’s fees to the subsidies its own employees end up getting.
That’s a terrible idea. As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities points out, it would make companies reluctant to hire workers from lower-income families — and it would also create a bureaucratic nightmare. This provision has to go and be replaced with a simple pay-or-play rule. Read more
Connect
Book deals
Links
Finalist: Best Liberal Blog
Poll
Loading ...
