The Progressive Electorate - Front Page

Former Green Party candidate to challenge Mass. gov. Deval Patrick as a Democrat

rossl — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:44:23 GMT

Grace Ross, who ran in 2006 as the Green Party's candidate for governor of Massachusetts, is now running in the Democratic primary for the same office, against incumbent governor Deval Patrick. "I wasn't planning to run again," stated Ross, "but things got worse. Things got worse for regular people."
So far, Ross is the only Democratic challenger (and the only gay one, to my knowledge) of Patrick, although the Green Party is running its own candidate, Jill Stein. As of now, it is unclear why Ross is choosing to run as a Democrat instead of as a Green or independent, other than the answer of having an organizational structure behind her. On the blog Blue Mass Group, before she decided whether she was going to run or not, she wrote:

If I run as a Democrat, that would allow me to combat the broken structure, with the help of the many folks already in state government who are dedicated to serving the people. Many Democratic friends have urged me to throw my hat in the ring, but so have my Republican, Green and unenrolled friends. The decision I and my team make will be based on how I can best serve all of the people of the Commonwealth.

When running as a Green, Ross only received a bit less than two percent of the vote. This would make her seem completely non-competitive. However, the difference this time is obviously that she's running as a Democrat. And if she makes it onto the ballot - which would take 15% of the delegates at the state Democratic convention and something like 10,000 signatures - which is not unlikely, then she is running in a completely different race than 2006.

Interestingly, Ross announced her candidacy at an AFL-CIO conference:

Ross's announcement came after Patrick pulled out of the state's AFL-CIO conference in Plymouth. Patrick, who was invited by the AFL-CIO, backed out after police unions picketed the event and other unions said they would leave upon his arrival and join the police unions in demonstrating.

As for her platform, it's not entirely clear yet. However, the Boston Globe writes:

Ross said during the 2006 campaign, among other things, that she was running for governor to be a voice for the poor, and she wanted a structural change in the tax system, which she believed heavily favored the wealthy.
One of her first acts as governor, she said, would be to push for a new "circuit-breaker" tax break to help low- and moderate-income residents, a move that would shift more of the tax burden onto the wealthy. Ross also wanted corporations to pay taxes based on the amount of business they do in Massachusetts rather than on the facilities they have here.
Ross also called for devoting bout $50 million in state money to low- and no-interest loans for small businesses, municipalities, and property owners who want to add solar panels or wind turbines. She said the initiative would nurture the state's alternative-energy industry, reduce demand on the power grid, and lower energy costs for cities and towns.

Talkin' 'bout my generation...

rossl — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:06:41 GMT

There are many people who lament the end of the '60s and complain about today's self-absorbed, materialistic youth. Now, I'm a teenager, and I can tell you that there's a grain of truth (maybe a boulder...) to those complaints, but there's also a vibrant political culture among those of us whippersnappers who do care.

Well, we all know Dylan, Lennon, and Young. But what about Francis, Folds, and Morello? If you take a look at the music scene today, it's apparent that there are a lot of young people who care. There's currently a lot of music in the same spirit, if not the same style, as the classics of protest music.
I'll start with some of the very famous stuff that the oldheads might know, and if you stick with me you'll get to some newer and lesser known stuff.

Rage Against the Machine is a modern classic. Their song "Killing in the Name" is world famous and just about as political as it gets in music. Over my winter break I heard it played in a New Year's celebration in Spain and I recently discussed it with a student in France, and I love the song as an American.

Rage has a lot of other great songs, too. They are at their core a political band, and Rage member Tom Morello has been involved in countless political actions. Their video for the song "Sleep Now in the Fire" was directed by Michael Moore and was shot, in their words, "in the belly of the beast" - on Wall Street. It's worth a watch for the headbanging stock brokers, even if you're not a fan of the intense music.

I could talk about Rage for a long time, but I must move on! Rise Against is another very popular band, and it is very supportive of PeTA and the animal rights movement in general. The music video they say they're most proud of is that of "Ready to Fall," which contains tons of political imagery:

In the same vein as Rise Against is Muse. I'm not sure if they actually stand for anything, but their lyrics sound pretty rebellious, if I do say so myself (this is from the song "Uprising," from their newest album, "The Resistance," which is an international hit):

They will not force us,
They will stop degrading us,
They will not control us,
And we will? be victorious!
SO COME ON!
Interchanging mind-control,
Come, let the revolution take its toll,
If you could flick a switch and open your third eye,
You'd see that we should never be afraid to die,
SO COME ON!

Although it's often derided as stupid and superficial, there is tons of rap out there that is high quality protest music. Eminem, for one, frequently stands up for free speech - and he has had a lot of experience with censorship - and went from being a cultural rebel to someone influencing the culture. The perfect illustration of this is his song "White America:"

America, hahaha, we love you, how many people are
proud to be citizens of this beautiful
country of our's, the stripes and the stars for
the rights that men have died for to protect,
the women and men who have broke their neck's for
the freedom of speech the United States
government has sworn to uphold, or so we're
told...
Yo', I want everybody to listen to the words of
this song, I never would've dreamed in a
million years i'd see, so many motherf**kin'
people who feel like me, who share the same views
and the same exact beliefs, it's like a f**kin'
army marchin' in back of me, so many lives I
touch, so much anger aimed, in no particular
direction, just sprays and sprays, and straight
through your radio waves it plays and plays,
'till it stays stuck in your head for days and
days, who would of thought, standing in this
mirror bleachin' my hair, with some peroxide,
reachin for a t-shirt to wear, that I would
catapult to the forefront of rap like this, how
could I predict my words would have an impact
like this, I must've struck a chord, with
somebody
up in the office, cause congress keeps telling me
I ain't causin' nuthin' but problems, and now
they're sayin' i'm in trouble with the
government, i'm lovin' it, I shoveled sh*t all my
life,
and now I'm dumping it on...

Going on with rap, this one's a bit older, and I'll bet many of you remember this great piece of protest rap from N.W.A....

This song, "Fuck tha Police," created a huge controversy when it came out. It's also been a sort of rallying cry for people who do feel oppressed by the police. According to Wikipedia,

The FBI and the U.S. Secret Service sent a letter to Ruthless Records informing the label of their displeasure with the song's message, and N.W.A were banned from performing at several venues.
The controversy around the song helped propel sales for the album and, ultimately, helped make it go double platinum...
In 1989, Australian radio station Triple J had been playing "Fuck tha Police" for up to six months, before gaining the attention of Australian Broadcasting Corporation management who subsequently banned it. As a reaction the staff went on strike and put N.W.A's "Express Yourself" on continuous play for 24 hours, playing it roughly 360 times in a row. In 1996, during massive opposition street protests in Belgrade, Serbia, "Fuck tha Police", along with Public Enemy's "Fight the Power" was continually played for 2 days on a Belgrade radio station B92.

And here's "Express Yourself," one of N.W.A.'s classics.

Although less popular than N.W.A. and Eminem, there's currently a very strong political rap (and spoken word) scene. It includes the likes of Sage Francis, Immortal Technique, Jared Paul (who was arrested at the RNC convention in 2008), Saul Williams, Brother Ali and others. Overall, they tend to be very radical and not too subtle about it either. Here are a few samples:

Jared Paul - Jesus in a Bowl of Germs

Sage Francis - Makeshift Patriot

Here's just a video of Immortal Technique, for a taste of what he's about:

And just for fun, here's a video I made during the 2008 campaign for Mike Gravel on Youtube, using a Saul Williams song.

There are also many bands and artists that, while not rebellious or political to their core, still have their moments where they shine as beacons of political or social change.

Ben Folds, for instance, seems like a pretty harmless, nerdy, self-effacing piano player. But the same biting wit he uses to criticize himself and old girlfriends is easily turned against the music culture of the day and American culture. One of his hit songs, Rockin' the Suburbs, is a critique of electronically-assisted, top-selling bands that don't really have talent, but are loved by suburban white kids, in all of their "white boy pain."

A few years after that came out (by video is directed by Weird Al, by the way), Folds let us know what he thinks of us in "All You Can Eat."

Son look at all the people in this restaurant
What d'you think they weigh?
And out the window to the parking lot
At their SUVs taking all of the space
They give no fuck
They talk as loud as they want
They give no fuck
Just as long as there's enough for them
Gotta get on the microphone down at wallmart
Talk about some shit that's been on my mind
Talk about the state of this great of this nation of ours
Poeple look to your left, yeah look to your right
They give no fuck
They buy as much as they want
They give no fuck
Just as long as there's enough for them

One band that became political because they had no other choice is The Felice Brothers. Hailing from upstate New York, hard realities like a world filled with meth, oxycontin, and the Rockefeller Drug Laws (although they were recently reformed, fortunately). Although the song "Rockefeller Drug Law Blues" isn't available online, they're a great band, so here's another one of their songs:

The rapper Eyedea is not a political animal like Immortal Technique (and he's much less angry!), but that doesn't mean he can't criticize our materialistic culture a bit.

And finally, here's one last culturally rebellious song from a local band in my area that was incredible before they unfortunately broke up. They were called Townhall.

So that's a glimpse at the current protest music scene. I'm sure I missed a lot, so let me know in the comments if there's anything else out there that we should know about. Because these people should really be celebrated more than they are - youth today are criticized for complacency, but there really is a thriving protest music scene. These artists are quality dissenters. They're standing up for justice, and many of them are speaking to audiences that normally wouldn't think about this stuff. So let's celebrate them!

Capitol Hill News Open Thread

CA Berkeley WV — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:14:34 GMT

Good afternoon, Progressive Electorate readers. This is your afternoon open thread to discuss all things Hill-related. Use this thread to praise or bash Congresscritters, share a juicy tip, ask questions, offer critiques and suggestions, or post manifestos. We'll be here all weekend.

Some of the Hill news that's fit to blog is over the fold...
The Senate did not hold a vote on that National Labor Relations Board nominee.

With only two members currently all its recent decisions may be in question. Sen. Brown's R-MA would have been interesting to note.

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Another project that is on the chopping block, LORAN.

A WWII era navigation system. [UPDATE: added link]

In a series of small ceremonies, the U.S. Coast Guard on Monday afternoon will shut down Loran-C, a navigation and timing system that has guided mariners and aviators since World War II.
::::::::
The five stations that will temporarily remain online are located in Attu, Alaska; Caribou, Maine; Nantucket, Massachusetts; Shoal Cove, Alaska; and George, Washington.
Some congressional critics say it is a mistake to shut down the system. In a November letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, two top members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee urged that Loran-C be spared. Deploying an enhanced Loran, or eLORAN, would cost about $100 million, Sens. Joseph Lieberman, I-Connecticut, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, wrote -- about one half the cost of placing one new GPS satellite in orbit, they said.

LORAN receivers are no longer manufactured. The Cost Guard and the Department of Homeland Security want the program to end.

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We note this afternoon's passing of Rep. John P. Murtha (PA-12). My prayers go out to his family. Peace.

********
Ezra notes that The New York Times explains it with pictures. Hide 'madatory' spending'. Then think about what is really mandatory.

********
As a set up, others would like to see this, too.

********
Email, posted without comment:

Below, please find a message from one of our advertisers. Periodically, we receive opportunities we believe you may want to learn about. Please note that the following message does not necessarily reflect the positions of The Washington Times. If you would prefer not to receive these messages in the future, please use the unsubscribe link listed at the bottom of this email.
Please forward widely. For media, TV, radio, newspaper, blog interviews, contact Chaps.
URGENT NEW PETITION: SELECT HERE TO SIGN AND DEFEND OUR TROOPS against open homosexual aggression, and we will fax your personalized petition to all 100 Senators and all 435 Congressmen, (saving you hours of labor!) We've already delivered 30,000 faxes defending our troops. Can you help us reach 100,000?
CHAIRMAN OF JOINT CHIEFS DEMANDS HOMOSEXUALS LIE TO MILITARY
Tuesday the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen deceived the Senate Armed Services Committee, repeating President Obama's demand to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) prohibition against open homosexual aggression within the ranks of the military. "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," Admiral Mullen fibbed, revealing his personal belief that "allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do."
Sadly, the pro-homosexual Mullen has believed the lies of homosexual propaganda, and deceived himself, and now deceived Congress, all the while claiming he wants a more honest policy that discourages lying, when in fact Mullen actually demands homosexuals tell more lies to their military commanders when enlisting as open homosexuals. Here's a simple proof: Men who were created by God with male body parts are not women, and they lie to themselves, the world, and their commanders when they pretend to be, and act like, women. Women who were created by God with female parts are not men, and they lie to themselves, the world, and their commanders when they pretend to be, and act like, men.
Mullen's confused argument would permit men to deceptively act like women, and women to deceptively act like men, openly deceiving themselves, the world, and their military commanders, and boldface lying against God's very truth, that He created men to be men, and women to be women. But today's confusing homosexual propaganda equates "honesty" with men openly flaunting their femininity, and "truthfulness" with women openly flaunting masculinity. Who's really telling God's truth?
The Bible describes homosexual liars: "Who changed the truth of God into a lie...women did change the natural use into that which is against nature, and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error." (Romans 1). Thank God Senator John McCain (R-AZ) denounced the Admiral's deceptive plan as destructive to the military, but Senator McCain needs your help to fight this open perversion, and protect our troops from open homosexual aggression...
SELECT HERE TO SIGN NEW PETITION DEFENDING OUR TROOPS AGAINST OPEN HOMOSEXUAL AGGRESSION, AND WE WILL FAX TO ALL 535 CONGRESSMEN.
CBS news interviewed homosexual Army Lt. Dan Choi, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point who currently faces discharge for publicly announcing he's gay.
"I think it's a very healthy thing for people to be able to tell the truth and to come to terms with who they are. I think it's a sign of maturity," Choi said, "At my very first day at West Point, I learned that the honor code says a cadet will not lie, will not tolerate those who lie," said Choi. "They didn't say that a cadet who was gay could lie whereas straight cadets didn't have to lie."
As a USAF Academy graduate knowing the honor code, I now personally confront Choi as a liar, who now openly violates his honor oath, since he deceives himself and the world, by claiming to be feminine, when God created him masculine, with a male body. LIAR. Choi should immediately be thrown out of the Army, not merely for sexual perversion, but for DISHONESTY AND LYING. The only reason he graduated West Point is that he never lied by openly claiming to be feminine while a cadet, when God created him to be masculine. THIS PROVES DON'T ASK DON'T TELL IS THE MOST HONEST POLICY, because it encourages people with sexual perversions not to openly lie about their sexual identity. But if DADT is repealed by Congress, men will claim to be women, and women will claim to be men, and the open season of dishonesty and lying will begin.
SELECT HERE TO SIGN NEW PETITION DEFENDING OUR TROOPS AGAINST OPEN HOMOSEXUAL AGGRESSION, AND WE WILL FAX TO ALL 535 CONGRESSMEN.
President Obama pledged in his State of the Union Address to promote open homosexual aggression within the ranks of the military, by directly recruiting Congressmen and Senators in 2010 to overturn the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law that saves troops lives and already guarantees equality. Ignoring a letter signed by over 1,150 retired military flag and general officers, who asked Obama to enforce the 1993 Clinton-era law that currently prohibits open homosexual aggression in the military, Obama instead sacrificed military readiness, unit cohesion, and safety of all American troops, to prioritize his special relationship with less than 1% of the American population who claimed to be homosexual in the last census.
"This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay men and women the right to serve the country they love," Obama boldly misled, repeating the vow he made during a speech Oct. 10th before a gay rights group. (The truth is homosexuals already now have the right to serve, so long as they keep their sexual aggression to themselves.) "If you adhere to our common values, you should be treated no different than anyone else," Obama said oxymoronically, defining "equality" and "values" as a sudden endorsement of illegal acts of sod omy long banned by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The Joint Chiefs sat stone-faced silent, aghast at Obama's plan, but powerless to publicly oppose their own Commander-In-Chief. We must be their voice...
SELECT HERE TO SIGN NEW PETITION DEFENDING OUR TROOPS AGAINST OPEN HOMOSEXUAL AGGRESSION, AND WE WILL FAX TO ALL 535 CONGRESSMEN.
As a former Navy Chaplain and Air Force Academy graduate, having served during wartime combat operations, in close quarters with Sailors onboard a combat cruiser, and having personally counseled both straight and homosexual sericemembers, I can personally attest the last thing our Sailors need is a lack of trust or suspicion toward their fellow shipmates. Our uniformed servicemembers very lives depend daily on their ability to trust each other, without worry about being ogled, made advances upon, or violated by those with whom they share common sleeping quarters and showering facilities, 24/7 both on and off duty. Friends, do you care about protecting our military's trust, unit cohesion, and saving our troops lives? Take action today...
SELECT HERE TO SIGN NEW PETITION DEFENDING OUR TROOPS AGAINST OPEN HOMOSEXUAL AGGRESSION, AND WE WILL FAX TO ALL 535 CONGRESSMEN.
Kevin Nix, spokesman for the pro-homosexual Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which is spearheading the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal effort, told the Washington Times the House bill now has 182 co-sponsors, just short of a majority. "We're just trying to get to 218 to show that the bill is ready," said Mr. Nix, who added that senators plan to introduce a bill shortly.
"We expect a bill introduction for the first time in 16 years," he said. "We definitely expect a hearing this year. There are still things that need to happen, but we are definitely on the brink of a bill in the Senate. We want repeal done in 2010. Done, to the president's desk for a signature." A spokesman for pro-homosexual Congressman Patrick J. Murphy (D-PA), who is leading the repeal campaign in the House, said he has commitments from 16 members in addition to the 182 co-sponsors, totaling 198 votes, just short of a majority.
SELECT HERE TO SIGN NEW PETITION DEFENDING OUR TROOPS AGAINST OPEN HOMOSEXUAL AGGRESSION, AND WE WILL FAX TO ALL 535 CONGRESSMEN.
In the Pentagon however, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway has emerged in internal deliberations as the most outspoken opponent of permitting gay men and women to serve openly in the U.S. military, according to the Washington Times.
"Most of the senior brass hold deep reservations about President Obama's pledge to end the ban on gays in the military, especially in the middle of two wars that have put extra stress on the military, down to the platoon level, where soldiers and Marines would be expected to bond with openly gay colleagues," the Times reported.
WHY KEEP OPEN HOMOSEXUALITY OUT OF THE MILITARY?
Four reasons: 1) Allowing open homosexuality especially hurts unit cohesion and would cost American lives in war, damaging the trust shared in close proximity, common sleeping quarters and showering facilities that are unavoidable in close combat. 2) Men and women do not share the same showers for obvious reasons, so why force men to share showers with openly homosexual men? This fact alone would hurt recruiting. 3) The rampant spread of the HIV-AIDS virus contaminates the blood often shared by necessity on the battlefield. Soldiers requiring blood-transfusions and medics would be immediately endangered. 4) "Gay promotion quotas" would soon be forced upon presently impartial promotion boards, causing a burdensome rise in sexually-charged "equal opportunity" complaints against commanders, especially those who offend gays by inadvertently speaking of their traditional Judeo-Christian faith.
SELECT HERE TO SIGN NEW PETITION DEFENDING OUR TROOPS AGAINST OPEN HOMOSEXUAL AGGRESSION, AND WE WILL FAX TO ALL 535 CONGRESSMEN.
But Marine Commandant General Conway has gone further than others in stating his opposition to a change in policy, according to a former official who was privy to private conversations on the matter. "He feels very strongly that [removing the ban] would be disruptive, and he opposes it," he said. But if Congress changes the law, the General must implement the law.
Obama campaigned during his election to end "don't ask, don't tell," the policy signed into law by President Clinton. The policy ended the practice of asking prospective recruits about their sexuality, allowing homosexuals to freely serve, but prohibited openly gay men and women from talking about their sexual urges while serving. Repeal would allow them to share their sexual urges with their fellow soldiers, creating needless and divisive tension in the ranks.
The House Armed Services Committee will likely hold a hearing on a repeal bill in the spring, meaning the earliest floor vote could come before the middle of 2010, as part of the 2011 Defense Armed Services Authorization or Appropriations spending bill. Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee had planned a hearing in 2009, but none was scheduled. The White House will likely soon submit a repeal bill to the Hill.
SELECT HERE TO SIGN NEW PETITION DEFENDING OUR TROOPS AGAINST OPEN HOMOSEXUAL AGGRESSION, AND WE WILL FAX TO ALL 535 CONGRESSMEN.
The four-star chiefs of the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Army have said little on the topic in public and have not been pressed by Congress to provide their professional opinions. All four declined to answer when asked for their personal opinions on the ban by The Washington Times, except to say they will abide by the law. They've been silenced for fear of upsetting Obama, who would likely force their immediate retirement.
"They are not going to talk until it's time to talk," said a senior officer inside the Pentagon, who added the chiefs will discuss any specific legislative proposal in private with the chain of command - meaning Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the president.
Adm. Mullen, who as Joint Chiefs chairman is the president's top military adviser, has expressed concern about carrying out the president's wish. "I think it's important, as we look to this change, that it be done in a way that doesn't disrupt the force at a time where it's under a lot of stress," Adm. Mullen told the Military Times in May. "And that, to me, means in a measured, deliberate way, over some time -- to be determined. And I don't know what that would be." (I know how and when....never risk our troops lives.)
SELECT HERE TO SIGN NEW PETITION DEFENDING OUR TROOPS AGAINST OPEN HOMOSEXUAL AGGRESSION, AND WE WILL FAX TO ALL 535 CONGRESSMEN.
The Times reports Gay rights groups cite recent polls that show the public now supports repealing the ban, unlike in 1993, when polls showed the opposite. That year, Congress stopped Mr. Clinton's bid to change what was then only a regulation. He ended up signing the ban into law. The Pentagon discharged 633 men and women under the ban in fiscal year 2008.
Elaine Donnelly, who heads the Center for Military Readiness and argues in favor of the ban, pointed a reporter toward a recent article she wrote for the American Thinker.
"Consistently small numbers and percentages of people discharged due to homosexuality contradict any claim that a national security emergency justifies repeal of the law," she wrote. "And it is not convincing to hold up the small, dissimilar militaries of foreign nations, none of which have adopted the extreme agenda being proposed for our military, as role models for America's forces. Nor does it help to ignore the stated opinions of more than 1,150 retired flag and general officers and current military personnel." Our military is not a grounds for new and radical social experiementation, especially ones that endanger lives.
SELECT HERE TO SIGN NEW PETITION DEFENDING OUR TROOPS AGAINST OPEN HOMOSEXUAL AGGRESSION, AND WE WILL FAX TO ALL 535 CONGRESSMEN.
God Bless you, in Jesus' name,
Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt
P.S. Prefer to sponsor us by direct mail? Please mail postal donations to: The Pray In Jesus Name Project, PO Box 77077, Colorado Springs, CO 80970. Please don't wait. Our troops lives, trust, and cohesion depend on our voice. Please take action, sign our petition today, and we'll automatically deliver your message!
SELECT HERE TO SIGN NEW PETITION DEFENDING OUR TROOPS AGAINST OPEN HOMOSEXUAL AGGRESSION, AND WE WILL FAX TO ALL 535 CONGRESSMEN.
Disclaimer: The views of Chaplain Klingenschmitt, who was honorably but involuntarily discharged from the Navy in 2007 after facing court-martial for praying "in Jesus name" in uniform, (but was later vindicated by Congress), are his own personal views, not the views of any political party, government, or organization.

American Exceptionalism In Our Prisons: 1 in 9 Black Males Jailed

Curtis Abbey — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:09:03 GMT

Here's an interesting take from the other side of the pond about America's prison industrial complex.

Why are we not discussing this on our TV programs? I remember fifteen years ago Americans were furious that our Nikes were made with slave labor. But now because it's incarcerated Americans with drug habits that's OK? Some of those jobs sound pretty good too, assembling military equipment? Do we really have to cheap out on wage costs for that? We spend $700B a year on military and we're cutting corners by hiring inmates rather than providing working wage jobs? WTF?

Sunday Thread - Geaux Saints

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:04:36 GMT

Been out of pocket all weekend. Needed a break from politics and law yesterday and today.

Good to see the Saints bring home the first Lombardi trophy to New Orleans. What a turnaround of a franchise.

I attended a great holocaust survivor speech today in Atlanta. Will post a story on that experience tomorrow or Tuesday at the latest

Capitol Hill News Weekend Open Thread

Casual Wednesday — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:18:00 GMT

All the Hill news that fit to blog is over the fold...
Richard Shelby two-fer

Our first two items are brought to you by the "Party of Fiscal Conservatism." Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama today perfectly illustrates what the loyal opposition has become: The Party of Blind Obstruction.

Shelby's Office Confirms Holds, Lashes Out At Obama
Sen. Richard Shelby's (R-AL) office has confirmed to TPMDC the reports that Shelby has placed a hold on President Obama's nominees over a pair of government programs set to be based in Alabama. He did not confirm that Shelby has taken the rare step of blocking all of Obama's nominees, as was reported yesterday.
"Sen. Shelby has placed holds on several pending nominees due to unaddressed national security concerns," Shelby spokesperson Jonathan Graffeo said in a statement. "Among his concerns" are the progress on multi-billion dollar defense contract that would see planes built in Mobile, AL and Obama's decision to scrap a $45 million FBI improvised explosive device lab Shelby secured an earmark for in 2008.

Some of those holds are on -- wait for it -- National Security nominees.

The shorter version: Shelby only cares about national security to the extent that his state benefits financially.

And exhibit B:

Dodd to move forward, financial talks with Shelby at 'impasse'
Bipartisan negotiations on financial reform in the Senate Banking Committee are at an "impasse," the panel's chairman said.
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) said Friday that he will push forward without a clear deal given the stalemate with the senior Republican on his committee.
"For now we have reached an impasse," said Dodd, the Banking panel chairman, referring to months of negotiations with Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.).

Senator Tom "Dr. No" Coburn issued this statement:

Very good, young Padawan. But you still have much to learn.

I think we can safely call this tyranny of the minority.

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Boehner rejects deficit reduction proposal

House Majority Leader John Boehner says he won't even discuss creating a commission to tackle the national deficit and debt unless the minority party is equally represented.

GOP leader rejects White House terms for deficit commission
Boehner told Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner in a telephone call that Republicans would refuse to participate on the 18-member commission unless it were comprised equally of Republicans and Democrats, and unless all GOP members were appointed by their caucus leaders, according to a top Boehner aide.
A deal between the White House and congressional Democrats calls for the commission to include six GOP lawmakers, six Democratic lawmakers and six presidential appointees, two of whom would be Republicans.

A few points on Boehner's latest whining:

1) The Democrats won in 2006 and 2008. Deal with it.
2) When the Republicans took over in 2001, the country was running a budget surplus and paying down the debt.
3) Republicans routinely froze Democrats out of meaningful negotiations during those years.
4) STFU
5) The Democrats should proceed without them.

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Louisiana Purchase was Jindal's idea

Senator Mary Landrieu says that the $300 million Louisiana Purchase was Bobby Jindal's idea and it was never a condition of her support for the health care bill.

Sen. Landrieu defends 'Louisiana Purchase,' says Jindal asked for it
Landrieu used a floor speech, press conference and private e-mails from Jindal to fire back against critics of the $300 million-plus in Medicaid funds that became known as the "Louisiana Purchase."
"Nothing about this effort was secret - it was public from the very first meeting that happened at the governor's mansion in January," Landrieu said. "It was a broadly supported delegation effort from the beginning. And it was never a condition of my support for the bill.
"There should be some concerns about specific arrangements that were made, or for specific promises of support. This was not one of them. And the record will show that."

This still begs the central question: Why did the Democrats have to worry about her vote for cloture?

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We're not the opposition; we're the alternative

One of the GOP's more conservative House members is floating a budget proposal that has supposedly caught the president's attention.

Republican lawmaker's budget plan gets Obama's attention
Rep. Paul D. Ryan says he is determined to make sure the Republican Party is viewed as "the alternative party, not the opposition party."
That is a goal President Obama embraced when he visited House Republicans at their policy retreat in Baltimore last week, and he singled out Ryan as someone he would like to work with -- even mentioning budget legislation the Wisconsin Republican co-wrote.

Two points about this "story." At no point does the reporter ask the president or anyone in the administration to comment on Rep. Ryan's proposal. Furthermore, Boehner is not taking the idea seriously. In all honesty, there is probably nothing to see here.

****

More evidence that the last item is crap

It seems one part of Ryan's plan includes privatizing Social Security. In the House, you don't need anywhere from 60-100 votes to debate and vote on a resolution, so the Democratic leadership plans to make the GOP put up or shut up.

Dems To Force GOP Vote On Anti-Social Security Privatization Resolution

House Democrats are going to force their Republican colleagues to vote on a resolution opposing the privatization of Social Security. The move shows Democrats are putting their full political muscle into painting the Republicans as enemies of Social Security and using the chief GOP budget writer Rep. Paul Ryan's plan to cut benefits as evidence.
Rep. John Larson (D-CT) and Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) this afternoon introduced the resolution which "expresses the will of House Democrats to preserve Social Security and reaffirms our commitment to working in a bipartisan way to make common sense adjustments to strengthen the program for generations to come."

Bring it! Then we can talk about who wants to kill grandma.
****

Veering to the center or not?

One of these stories is not like the other.

From the Huffington Post:

Obama Calls Out Conservative Democrats For Their Timidity
Just as President Obama's appearance before the House Republican caucus last Friday gave him an opportunity to push back against some of the most outlandish conservative caricatures of his presidency, his visit with Senate Democrats on Wednesday morning allowed him to confront, head on and in public, the timidity and centrism from within his own party.
~snip
In one key exchange this morning, Obama rebuked pleas from Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) that he moderate his agenda and work with Republicans to ease the current state of economic uncertainty.

And from Politico:

Dems grouse as Obama tacks to center
President Barack Obama is running into resistance from congressional Democrats over several key economic proposals - blunting the party's ability to send a clear message to middle-class voters that Democrats feel their pain.
Obama has run into friction from fellow Democrats over plans to freeze some federal spending, to use bailout funds for small-business lending and to limit the reach of big banks.

Who's right? Who knows? But it is far superior to the far-right ideological purity that we have seen from the Republicans since they lost control of Congress in January, 2007.

****

Teabaggers Unite!

Finally, The Most Important News of the Day? visits the Tea Party people who are meeting in Nashville where they doing something. Anyway, this one is so expensive (so much for a grassroots movement) that former Congressman, one-time presidential candidate, and kos avoider Tom Tancredo spoke because he could not afford a ticket.

DAVID: You came to the Tea Party Convention because they asked you?
TANCREDO: Well, sure! I didn't have $500 for a ticket! Only way I could get in this room was to be a speaker!

Actually, the fee is $549. Ha! Netroots Nation isn't that expensive.

Tancredo argued that Judeo-Christian values demand the elimination of the nanny state. That burning you feel on your forehead is normal after hearing idiotic statements like this.

Those who are loaded enough to attend have formed a Political Action Committee. .. or someone did

The PAC, Ensuring Liberty Corp., will give money and resources to candidates who advocate fiscal responsibility, less government, lower taxes, states' rights and strong national security, convention spokesman Mark Skoda told reporters. Skoda said he would serve on the board of the PAC, which will be organized as a nonprofit based in Memphis, but he declined to identify any other leaders of the committee.
Skoda, who heads the Memphis Tea Party, said the PAC would immediately support candidates in a half-dozen congressional races in Tennessee and other states and would look for others to back.
It was difficult to determine during Skoda's 30-minute news conference whether his PAC had been embraced nationally or whether he was launching it as a lone wolf.

Oh, and these uber patriots did not even open with the Pledge of Allegiance, but that, of course, was the fault of some minimum wage retail slave who didn't read minds and make sure there was a flag available. But, but, but... all of those patriotic people and they couldn't find a flag? If this is the way they are going to operate, the only thing the Democrats have to fear is a whole string of NY-23 like elections.

I suggest following Dave Weigel's coverage of the teabag fest.

With that, I bid you a good night and a pleasant weekend. Enjoy the Super Bowl. Can you guess which team Heckuva Job Brownie is rooting for without peeking?

Capitol Hill News Open Thread

CA Berkeley WV — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:47:37 GMT

Good ~~afternoon~~ evening, Progressive Electorate readers. This is your afternoon open thread to discuss all things Hill-related. Use this thread to praise or bash Congresscritters, share a juicy tip, ask questions, offer critiques and suggestions, or post manifestos.

It is a serious scroll. Decided to table this before I heard about Sen. Shelby's R-AL little announcement. Always a few kinks to work out. But no hurry, #snowpocalypse is about to hit DC again.

Some of the Hill news that's fit to blog is over the fold...
Speaking as someone with Bell's Palsy, Richard Shelby's mouth is crooked.

But my lie was just about whether it is still the afternoon.

Today Senator Reid asked that the following nominations be confirmed by unanimous consent:
-Clifford L. Stanley, of Pennsylvania, to be Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness;
-Philip S. Goldberg, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Intelligence and Research); and
-Caryn Wagner, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Homeland Security.
Senator McConnell objected to the request. He said that Senator Shelby is talking to the Administration about an issue.

Dick has issues. So what, now the 41 - 59 GOP majority needs therapy? Teenagers have issues.

The same day the Ranking Member on the House Armed Service Rep. Buck McKeon R-CA spouts off at Heritage Foundation about defending 'American exceptionalism', all the Senate minority can do is say 'I object', to everything.

Aside from lawmakers - from both parties - with a stake in the nearly 50 DoD weapon programs Pentagon officials killed or altered in 2010, Republicans last year largely held their fire, to the surprise of many Washington defense insiders. But sources say that could change during the 2011 budget cycle, and McKeon's speech is seen by some as an opening salvo.

We wondered about whether the GOP was serious about deficits or just perpetual war already. There's the first part of the answer.

He then went on to describe a scenario under which Gates would shift $60 billion over the next five years from other Pentagon accounts to pay for ongoing wars. At the same time, military personnel costs continue to skyrocket, while more and more funding is shifted from war spending bills to the base DoD budget without greatly increasing the top line budget figure.

Is this great concern for the boots on the ground or the contributions of MIC lobbyists? Let's just leave the Department of Defense positions open, and concentrate on the procurement side.

McKeon also questioned Obama's chops to be commander in chief.
"Are our leaders equipped with the convictions necessary to properly defense America's values ... and America's people?" he asked.

But, but he's the President. Oh, I forgot.

IOKIYAR

They really do not want to have government work. In the run up to Iraq, the State Intelligence and Research provided a cleare picture, so that cannot function. Another attack is certain, you say Director? Well then, let's leave the all the Intelligence and Analysis positions open.

CAL NO	MSG NO	NOMINEE, OFFICE AND PREDECESSOR	REPORTED BY
THE JUDICIARY
165	228	Marisa J. Demeo, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years, vice Rufus Gunn King, III, retired.	May 20, 2009 Reported by Mr. Lieberman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, without printed report.
FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION
208	395	John J. Sullivan, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission for a term expiring April 30, 2013, vice Ellen L. Weintraub, term expired.	Jun 11, 2009 Reported by Mr. Schumer, Committee on Rules and Administration, without printed report.
THE JUDICIARY
333	556	Stuart Gordon Nash, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the term of fifteen years, vice Rafael Diaz, term expired.	Jul 29, 2009 Reported by Mr. Lieberman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
404	640	Warren F. Miller, Jr., of New Mexico, to be Director of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, Department of Energy, vice Edward F. Sproat III, resigned.	Aug 04, 2009 Reported by Mr. Bingaman, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, without printed report.
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
427	558	Winslow Lorenzo Sargeant, of Wisconsin, to be Chief Counsel for Advocacy, Small Business Administration, vice Thomas M. Sullivan.	Sep 16, 2009 Reported by Ms. Landrieu, Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, without printed report.
THE JUDICIARY
468	634	Joseph A. Greenaway, Jr., of New Jersey, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit, vice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., elevated.	Oct 01, 2009 Reported by Mr. Leahy, Committee on the Judiciary, without printed report.
NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
493	733	Brian Hayes, of Massachusetts, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board for the term of five years expiring December 16, 2012, vice Robert J. Battista, term expired.	Oct 21, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
494	734	Mark Gaston Pearce, of New York, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board for the term of five years expiring August 27, 2013, vice Peter N. Kirsanow.	Oct 21, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION
497	875	Robert James Grey, Jr., of Virginia, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation for a term expiring July 13, 2011, vice Bernice Phillips, term expired.	Oct 21, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
498	876	John Gerson Levi, of Illinois, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation for a term expiring July 13, 2011, vice Herbert S. Garten, term expired.	Oct 21, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
499	877	Martha L. Minow, of Illinois, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation for a term expiring July 13, 2011, vice David Hall, term expired.	Oct 21, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
500	878	Julie A. Reiskin, of Colorado, to be Member of the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation for a term expiring July 13, 2010, vice Thomas R. Meites, term expired.	Oct 21, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
501	879	Gloria Valencia-Weber, of New Mexico, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation for a term expiring July 13, 2011, vice Sarah M. Singleton, term expired.	Oct 21, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
521	703	Rafael Borras, of Maryland, to be Under Secretary for Management, Department of Homeland Security, vice Elaine C. Duke, resigned.	Oct 28, 2009 Reported by Mr. Lieberman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, without printed report.
ARMY
526	1097	The following named officers for appointment in the United States Army to the grade indicated under title 10, U.S.C., section 624: to be Major General Brigadier General Michael J. Walsh	Oct 27, 2009 Reported by Mr. Levin, Committee on Armed Services, without printed report.
THE JUDICIARY
527	937	Barbara Milano Keenan, of Virginia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit, vice H. Emory Widener, Jr., retired.	Oct 29, 2009 Reported by Mr. Leahy, Committee on the Judiciary, without printed report.
UNITED STATES SENTENCING COMMISSION
531	802	Ketanji Brown Jackson, of Maryland, to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission for a term expiring October 31, 2013, vice Michael E. Horowitz, term expired.	Nov 05, 2009 Reported by Mr. Leahy, Committee on the Judiciary, without printed report.
552	885	Jane Branstetter Stranch, of Tennessee, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit, vice Martha Craig Daughtrey, retired.	Nov 19, 2009 Reported by Mr. Leahy, Committee on the Judiciary, without printed report.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
556	880	Benjamin B. Tucker, of New York, to be Deputy Director for State, Local, and Tribal Affairs, Office of National Drug Control Policy, vice Scott M. Burns.	Nov 19, 2009 Reported by Mr. Leahy, Committee on the Judiciary, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
560	852	Terry A. Yonkers, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, vice William Anderson, resigned.	Dec 02, 2009 Reported by Mr. Levin, Committee on Armed Services, without printed report.
561	1079	Clifford L. Stanley, of Pennsylvania, to be Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, vice David S. C. Chu, resigned.	Dec 02, 2009 Reported by Mr. Levin, Committee on Armed Services, without printed report.
563	1127	Frank Kendall III, of Virginia, to be Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. (New Position)	Dec 02, 2009 Reported by Mr. Levin, Committee on Armed Services, without printed report.
564	1159	Erin C. Conaton, of the District of Columbia, to be Under Secretary of the Air Force, vice Ronald M. Sega, resigned.	Dec 02, 2009 Reported by Mr. Levin, Committee on Armed Services, without printed report.
THE JUDICIARY
578	909	Thomas I. Vanaskie, of Pennsylvania, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit, vice Franklin S. Van Antwerpen, retired.	Dec 03, 2009 Reported by Mr. Leahy, Committee on the Judiciary, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
580	1056	Susan B. Carbon, of New Hampshire, to be Director of the Violence Against Women Office, Department of Justice, vice Cynthia Dyer, resigned.	Dec 03, 2009 Reported by Mr. Leahy, Committee on the Judiciary, without printed report.
581	1057	John H. Laub, of the District of Columbia, to be Director of the National Institute of Justice, vice David W. Hagy, resigned.	Dec 03, 2009 Reported by Mr. Leahy, Committee on the Judiciary, without printed report.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
588	1120	Philip E. Coyle, III, of California, to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, vice Rosina M. Bierbaum.	Dec 03, 2009 Reported by Mr. Rockefeller, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, without printed report.
AMTRAK BOARD OF DIRECTORS
589	1161	Anthony R. Coscia, of New Jersey, to be a Director of the Amtrak Board of Directors for a term of five years. (New Position)	Dec 03, 2009 Reported by Mr. Rockefeller, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, without printed report.
590	1162	Albert DiClemente, of Delaware, to be a Director of the Amtrak Board of Directors for the remainder of the term expiring July 26, 2011, vice R. Hunter Biden.	Dec 03, 2009 Reported by Mr. Rockefeller, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, without printed report.
NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD
591	1045	Mark R. Rosekind, of California, to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board for the remainder of the term expiring December 31, 2009, vice Kathryn Higgins, resigned.	Dec 03, 2009 Reported by Mr. Rockefeller, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, without printed report.
592	1046	Mark R. Rosekind, of California, to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board for a term expiring December 31, 2014. (Reappointment)	Dec 03, 2009 Reported by Mr. Rockefeller, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, without printed report.
602	1111	Betty E. King, of New York, to be Representative of the United States of America to the Office of the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, with the rank of Ambassador.	Dec 08, 2009 Reported by Mr. Kerry, Committee on Foreign Relations, without printed report.
603	1154	Laura E. Kennedy, of New York, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, for the rank of Ambassador during her tenure of service as U.S. Representative to the Conference on Disarmament.	Dec 08, 2009 Reported by Mr. Kerry, Committee on Foreign Relations, without printed report.
604	1153	Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, of California, for the rank of Ambassador during her tenure of service as the United States Representative to the UN Human Rights Council.	Dec 08, 2009 Reported by Mr. Kerry, Committee on Foreign Relations, without printed report.
THE JUDICIARY
607	1060	Denny Chin, of New York, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit, vice Robert D. Sack, retired.	Dec 10, 2009 Reported by Mr. Leahy, Committee on the Judiciary, without printed report.
609	1128	William M. Conley, of Wisconsin, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Wisconsin, vice Barbara B. Crabb, retiring.	Dec 10, 2009 Reported by Mr. Leahy, Committee on the Judiciary, without printed report.
ADMINISTRATIVE UNITED STATES
610	1137	Paul R. Verkuil, of Florida, to be Chairman of the Administrative Conference of the United States for the term of five years, vice Thomasina V. Rogers, term expired.	Dec 10, 2009 Reported by Mr. Leahy, Committee on the Judiciary, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
614	1116	Philip S. Goldberg, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Intelligence and Research), vice Randall M. Fort, resigned.	Dec 10, 2009 Reported by Mrs. Feinstein, Select Committee on Intelligence, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
615	1117	Caryn A. Wagner, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Homeland Security. (New Position)	Dec 10, 2009 Reported by Mrs. Feinstein, Select Committee on Intelligence, without printed report.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
616	785	Jacqueline A. Berrien, of New York, to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for a term expiring July 1, 2014, vice Christine M. Griffin, term expired.	Dec 10, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
617	957	Chai Rachel Feldblum, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for a term expiring July 1, 2013, vice Leslie Silverman, term expired.	Dec 10, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
618	1115	P. David Lopez, of Arizona, to be General Counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for a term of four years, vice Ronald S. Cooper, resigned.	Dec 10, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
619	1135	Victoria A. Lipnic, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for the remainder of the term expiring July 1, 2010, vice Naomi Churchill Earp.	Dec 10, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
620	1136	Victoria A. Lipnic, of Virginia, to be a Member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for a term expiring July 1, 2015. (Reappointment)	Dec 10, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
622	1049	Sara Manzano-Diaz, of Pennsylvania, to be Director of the Women's Bureau, Department of Labor, vice Shinae Chun, resigned.	Dec 10, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
623	1053	Patrick Alfred Corvington, of Maryland, to be Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service, vice David Eisner.	Dec 10, 2009 Reported by Mr. Harkin, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
625	1073	Elizabeth M. Harman, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, vice W. Ross Ashley, III, resigned.	Dec 16, 2009 Reported by Mr. Lieberman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
627	1199	Robert A. Petzel, of Minnesota, to be Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs, vice Michael J. Kussman, resigned.	Dec 16, 2009 Reported by Mr. Akaka, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, without printed report.
FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION
628	1083	Jill Long Thompson, of Indiana, to be a Member of the Farm Credit Administration Board, Farm Credit Administration, for a term expiring May 21, 2014, vice Nancy C. Pellett, term expired.	Dec 16, 2009 Reported by Mrs. Lincoln, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, without printed report.
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
629	1180	Julie Simone Brill, of Vermont, to be a Federal Trade Commissioner for the term of seven years from September 26, 2009, vice Pamela Harbour, term expired.	Dec 17, 2009 Reported by Mr. Rockefeller, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, without printed report.
630	1181	Edith Ramirez, of California, to be a Federal Trade Commissioner for the term of seven years from September 26, 2008, vice Deborah P. Majoras, term expired.	Dec 17, 2009 Reported by Mr. Rockefeller, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
631	1197	Nicole Yvette Lamb-Hale, of Michigan, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, vice William G. Sutton, resigned.	Dec 17, 2009 Reported by Mr. Rockefeller, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, without printed report.
640	930	Eric L. Hirschhorn, of Maryland, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, vice Mario Mancuso, resigned.	Dec 17, 2009 Reported by Mr. Dodd, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
642	1010	Marisa Lago, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, vice Neel T. Kashkari, resigned.	Dec 17, 2009 Reported by Mr. Dodd, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
643	1023	Steven L. Jacques, of Kansas, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, vice Cathy M. MacFarlane.	Dec 17, 2009 Reported by Mr. Dodd, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
644	224	Lael Brainard, of the District of Columbia, to be an Under Secretary of the Treasury, vice David H. McCormick, resigned.	Dec 23, 2009 Reported by Mr. Baucus, Committee on Finance, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
645	500	Ellen Gloninger Murray, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services, vice Charles E. Johnson, resigned.	Dec 23, 2009 Reported by Mr. Baucus, Committee on Finance, without printed report.
646	739	Bryan Hayes Samuels, of Illinois, to be Commissioner on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, vice Joan E. Ohl, resigned.	Dec 23, 2009 Reported by Mr. Baucus, Committee on Finance, without printed report.
647	871	Jim R. Esquea, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services, vice Vincent J. Ventimiglia, Jr., resigned.	Dec 23, 2009 Reported by Mr. Baucus, Committee on Finance, without printed report.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
648	935	Michael W. Punke, of Montana, to be a Deputy United States Trade Representative, with the rank of Ambassador, vice Peter F. Allgeier, resigned.	Dec 23, 2009 Reported by Mr.Baucus, Committee on Finance, without printed report.
649	1008	Islam A. Siddiqui, of Virginia, to be Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade Representative, with the rank of Ambassador, vice Richard T. Crowder.	Dec 23, 2009 Reported by Mr. Baucus, Committee on Finance, without printed report.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
650	1050	Charles Collyns, of Maryland, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury, vice Clay Lowery resigned.	Dec 23, 2009 Reported by Mr. Baucus, Committee on Finance, without printed report.
651	1058	Mary John Miller, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, vice Anthony W. Ryan, resigned.	Dec 23, 2009 Reported by Mr.Baucus, Committee on Finance, without printed report.
652	1059	Michael F. Mundaca, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, vice Eric Solomon, resigned.	Dec 23, 2009 Reported by Mr. Baucus, Committee on Finance, without printed report.

#smOMG. Maybe they will be out so long this POTUS will make some recess appointments.

That GOP House budget blueprint sounds about like a repeat of the Boehner/Cantor/Ryan show with their alternative last year.

The Democratic Platform and the Senate Health Bill

deaniac83 — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:47:03 GMT

You can throw a dart at the left-ideological blogosphere and if you aim it roughly for health care reform, chances are you are going to hit a post about how the Democratic party is violating its own platform with the Senate bill. Horror! Of course, you can look at the right wing lunatic blogosphere and they are screaming about Socialist Communist Kenyan (TM) takeover of health care reform. But I'm planning on examining the claims of this serious violation of the Democratic platform today. After all, Democrats are in power in the White House, the House and the Senate.

First let me introduce you to the 2008 Democratic National Platform. It divides each policy area into subsections. I am going to list them and assign points based on a rather simple idea: I wasn't at the platform discussions. I don't know what was given the most weight and what was given the least. So each goal under the main health care umbrella will get the same amount of points assigned, and each sub-goal within it will divide up those points equally. Sound fair? Ok. We'll find out how the Senate health care bill stacks up against those goals.
Before I go on though, because I'm a Democrat, I'd like to begin with a reminder to my fellow Democrats about this President and this Democratic Congress' commitment to health care and children. The platform, in the health care section, starts off this way, highlighting the importance of health care reform among Democratic delegates:

If one thing came through in the platform hearings, it was that Democrats are united around a commitment that every American man, woman, and child be guaranteed affordable, comprehensive healthcare. In meeting after meeting, people expressed moral outrage with a health care crisis that leaves millions of Americans - including nine million children - without health insurance and millions more struggling to pay rising costs for poor quality care.

The President and the Democratic Congress moved swiftly after Obama's inauguration to drastically reduce this number. On February 4th, 2009, the President signed into law a big expansion of SCHIP, covering 4 million additional children, cutting the number of children uninsured by nearly half. That is in addition to 7 million children previously covered, bringing the total number of children covered by SCHIP to 11 million.

Work on health care indeed began before the current legislation. The Recovery Act dedicated more than $145 billion to investments and reform of health care systems, including $87 billion to states in just the next couple of years to maintain Medicaid programs, $25 billion to help laid off workers buy COBRA, $19 billion for Health Information Technology (HIT) deployment, and $10 billion in additional funds for the National Institute of Health.

Now let's move on to the particular sections for health care in the 2008 Democratic platform. Each category, except one one-liner, will be worth 20 points. First up:

I. Universal coverage and insurance options - 20 points possible.

Covering All Americans and Providing Real Choices of Affordable Health Insurance Options. Families and individuals should have the option of keeping the coverage they have or choosing from a wide array of health insurance plans, including many private health insurance options and a public plan. Coverage should be made affordable for all Americans with subsidies provided through tax credits and other means.

From here, point distributions:

Coverage, 10 points possible (100% coverage possible)
The Senate achieves 94% coverage, so it gets a 9 (House bill would get a 10, with 96% coverage).

Health care choices: 10 points possible - 5 for public plan, 5 for affordable choices.
Senate bill does not have a public plan. Zero for that. Health insurance choices are alright, costs are largely a wash with the House bill, although it could always get more subsidies. So it gets 4 out of those 5 points. So 4 out of 10 here. (House bill would get a 9).

Category I Score: 13/20.

II. Shared responsibility - 20 points possible.

Shared Responsibility. Health care should be a shared responsibility between employers, workers, insurers, providers and government. All Americans should have coverage they can afford; employers should have incentives to provide coverage to their workers; insurers and providers should ensure high quality affordable care; and the government should ensure that health insurance is affordable and provides meaningful coverage. As affordable coverage is made available, individuals should purchase health insurance and take steps to lead healthy lives.

The platform sure sounds to me like it's at least quite open to a mandate. Given a whole lot of delegates (Clinton and Edwards delegates) were pledged to candidates who openly campaigned for a mandate, this is a reasonable assumption. The Senate bill has a mandate - an affordable one, as I have discussed before - with a hardship exemption. The Senate bill provides employers with incentives to provide coverage, with small business tax credits for health insurance going into effect immediately. The Senate bill does as good as the House bill to ensure high quality care - with both reforms in care delivery and defined minimum benefits. It puts an onus on the insurers to come up with coverage with value given the 85% Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) requirement - i.e. insurers spend that much on health care or cut you a check at the end of the year - coupled with an excise tax on high-premium employer plans discouraging unnecessarily expensive but not necessarily more effective policies.

I give Shared Responsibility on the Senate bill its full 20 points.

Category II score: 20/20.

III. End Insurance Discrimination (pre-existing condition) - 20 points possible

An End to Insurance Discrimination. Health insurance plans should accept all applicants and be prohibited from charging different prices based on pre-existing conditions. They should compete on the cost of providing health care and the quality of that care, not on their ability to avoid or over-charge people who are or may get sick. Premiums collected by insurers should be primarily dedicated to care, not profits.

The Senate bill eliminates discrimination (all discrimination, including in price, not just in acceptance) based on pre-existing conditions, although not until 2014, when the exchanges start. Pre-existing condition discrimination against children is banned immediately. The Senate bill ends recessions if you get sick or injured, and bans annual or lifetime caps (lifetime caps for existing policies are grandfathered, but you can switch easily since no discrimination is allowed based on health conditions when you choose a new plan, and new policies are forbidden from having a cap). The Senate bill also allows insurance companies to charge older people 3 times as much. That'll cost some points. Largely because of this, I'm giving it a 15 in this category.

Category III score: 15/20.

IV. Insurance Portability - 10 points possible

Portable Insurance. No one should have to worry about losing health coverage if they change or lose their job.

I know I said 20 points each. But this is pretty bare knuckle and short. Not any components. 10 points is good enough for this. Portability is basically achieved through the exchanges, which are present in the Senate bill. Some will quibble that insurance on a national exchange is more portable than insurance on state based exchanges, and even though I disagree, I don't want to belabor the point. Fine. 9 points.

Category IV score: 9/10.

V. Meaningful Benefits - 20 points possible.

Meaningful Benefits. Families should have health insurance coverage similar to what Members of Congress enjoy. They should not be forced to bear the burden of skyrocketing premiums, unaffordable deductibles or benefit limits that leave them at financial risk when they become sick. We will finally achieve long-overdue mental health and addiction treatment parity.

Well, the Senate bill's minimum coverage isn't quite what Congress has, but the basic package is modeled after it. No junk insurance. Affordability and cost control measures include the exchange (marketplace), the ability of state and federal regulators to monitor premiums and kick out insurers from exchanges, the 85% MLR requirement and the excise tax only for high-priced for group plans, dis-incentivizing costly plans that don't deliver better insurance. Mental health is covered. Premium assistance is available for people up to 400% of poverty; Medicaid is extended to people up to 133% of poverty. Out-of-pocket expense for an individual is limited to 10% of income or $5,950 yearly, whichever is less. The mandate is inoperative unless you can find insurance that will costs you 8% or less of your income in premiums.

But both the Senate and the House does a disservice in terms of abortion coverage - although the Senate bill is lesser of the two evils on that. I do believe abortion is a "meaningful benefit." Although this next point is not considered in grading, I do caution you that Vice President Biden's Violence Against Women Act is up for re-authorization next year. Do we want Republicans be in control of Congress for that?

So, take a few points off the top for the imperfections (lack of abortion coverage, mainly), 17. That's a B. Sounds fair to me. The House bill would lose more points on abortion coverage, and stand at about a 15.5 for me.

Category V score: 17/20.

VI. Prevention and Wellness - 20 points possible

An Emphasis on Prevention and Wellness. Chronic diseases account for 70 percent of the nation's overall health care spending. We need to promote healthy lifestyles and disease prevention and management especially with health promotion programs at work and physical education in schools. All Americans should be empowered to promote wellness and have access to preventive services to impede the development of costly chronic conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Chronic-care and behavioral health management should be assured for all Americans who require care coordination. This includes assistance for those recovering from traumatic, life-altering injuries and illnesses as well as those with mental health and substance use disorders. We should promote additional tobacco and substance abuse prevention.

This thing is on steroids in the Senate bill - what can be done as part of a health insurance package is, anyway. Preventive care is free after your premium - i.e. no copay or deductible for preventive care. Since pre-existing condition is gone, people with chronic care will be able to get health insurance and get proper care. The Senate bill (being set apart from the House bill) also allows employers to provide employees with premium discounts, reduced cost sharing or additional benefits when an employee participates in a wellness program and meets certain health related standards. To ensure it does not unfairly leave people behind, employers must provide alternative standards for those for whom it's unreasonably difficult to meet those standards. This reward initially reaches up to 30% of cost of coverage, and may be increased to 50% in appropriate cases. (Source: KFF - check 'Senate bill' in the top box, and then 'Wellness' in the bottom one, and then click 'generate comparison.')

Mental and behavioral health are included, including substance abuse care, as noted above. Electronic medical records will help make you not go through the same test five times. And let's not forget the 10 billion dollars in Community Health Center expansion in the Senate bill, thanks to Sen. Bernie Sanders, something he characterized as revolutionizing primary care (which is also preventive care). Sanders has also already increased funding for CHC's in the Recovery Act. Women's preventive care is well-covered.

This bill does as well as can be done with legislation on prevention and wellness. Full marks.

Category VI score: 20/20.

VII. Modernized system that lowers cost and improves quality - 20 points possible

A Modernized System That Lowers Cost and Improves the Quality of Care. As Americans struggle with increasing health care costs, we believe a strengthened, uniquely American system should provide the highest-quality, most cost-effective care. This should be advanced by aggressive efforts to cut costs and eliminate waste from our health system, which will save the typical family up to $2,500 per year. These efforts include driving adoption of state-of-the-art health information technology systems, privacy-protected electronic medical records, reimbursement incentives, and an independent organization that reviews drugs, devices, and procedures to ensure that people get the right care at the right time. By working with the medical community to improve quality, these reforms will have the added benefit of reducing the prevalence of lawsuits related to medical errors. We should increase competition in the insurance and drug markets; remove some of the cost burden of catastrophic illness from employers and their employees; and lower drug costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prices, permitting importation of safe medicines from other developed countries, creating a generic pathway for biologic drugs, and increasing use of generics in public programs.

We don't know how much families will save with this bill. It's not entirely clear. But consider this: in 2008, the average family health plan cost $12,298, or about 18% of the median income for a family of 4 that year, $67,019. If you are a median family, with let's say the primary policy holder about 45 years old, the Kaiser Health Reform Subsidy calculator estimates your premium to be $11,080 under the Senate proposal. You would be eligible for subsidies, and the federal government would pay $4,512 of that cost. That leaves your family with $6,568 in premiums. So to you, the drop in cost is well over the $2,500. (This is obviously if you are purchasing coverage in the individual market and not obtaining through your employer.) But it might not be as much for families that aren't eligible for subsidies. Overall though, with the help of the subsidies, that goal is pretty much met.

Electronic medical record and technology upgrades? Check, a whole lot was already there before the debate even started, in the stimulus bill.

Independent board to find out what works best and the most effective care? Check, at least for Medicare (waiting for Sarah Palin to start screaming 'Death Panel!' anytime now).

Removing cost burden of catastrophic illness? Sure, if you consider most people will be required to get coverage, widening the pool and thus spreading out the cost of catastrophic illness. Until the exchanges open, here is also a high risk pool set up in the Senate bill.

Now the Senate bill doesn't let Medicare negotiate drug prices, and points are coming off because of it. But, it does, over time, completely close the Medicare drug benefit donut hole.

The Senate bill also fails to allow for drug re-importation. Something will be taken off the top here. I will note that the White House has promised to work with Sen. Byron Dorgan to enact a separate drug re-importation measure.

The Senate bill protects brand-name biologics drugs for 12 years, but in fairness, so does the House bill. The Senate bill, however, slaps $2.3 billion in annual fees on brand name biologics makers. So it might actually be doing better in this respect than the House bill.

Overall, I'm giving this modernizing system to improve cost and quality category a C. That's a 15.

Category VII score: 15/20.

There are a few other areas of the health care platform, but legislatively, they are generally addressed in different areas, and thus would not make sense to include here. These are:

Building a strong health care workforce through incentives and training (primarily addressed via education policy and legislation. A quick note that Sen. Bernie Sanders, through the Recovery Act and this bill, also secured the largest increases for the Health Services Corps, in addition to the CHC's.)
Commitment to eliminating ethnic, gender, sexual and other discrepancies in health care (can't be addressed in direct insurance coverage legislation, primarily addressed through access in existing programs, and of course, the Senate bill outlaws discrimination based on any of those factors. The thing to work on now is regional discrepancies, since markets vary, and so does the customer base's makeup.)
Public health and research (primarily funded through NIH and CDC).

So from the 7 areas above, I don't think I have been particularly generous in scoring. As you saw, a total of 130 points were possible: 6 areas with 20 points each and one with 10. My scores, in those 7 areas, total 109 points. That's 84%.

In other words, we are getting about 84% of the Democratic health care platform in the Senate bill. 84%. That's pretty damn good! Maybe that's why two staunch proponents of the public option, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn and Sen. Al Franken agree that the Senate bill is a 'very good' bill. Now we can sit here and squabble about the other 16%, we can hold or we can make sure that we get this bill passed and get the 84% of the health care platform of the Democratic party - and possibly more!

To do that, you need to make a few calls - even if you have already made those calls. First, call the Capitol switchboard and ask for your member of the House. Tell them politely but firmly that you expect your member to vote for the Senate health care bill as is so that it can be signed by the President. Then urge them to follow up with a reconciliation bill to fix it (or find your member at House.gov). Call the Capitol switchboard back and ask to speak to your Senators (you can also find your Senators on Senate.gov). Tell them you expect them to follow through on the House's reconciliation bill. Call Harry Reid also if you like, as well as Speaker Pelosi. Here are the toll-free numbers:

1-866-338-1015
1-866-220-0044
1-866-311-3405

Finish the job on health reform.

Self-plug: You can read this and other thoughts of mine on my blog, The People's View. You can also follow me on Twitter @thepeoplesview.

National Signing Day

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:02:15 GMT

A close second to college football as a pastime in Alabama is college football recruiting. The battle for players culminates on national signing day which was today.

How did your school fare?

Florida seems to be the consensus number 1 with Texas as 2nd in any rankings. Alabama finished 3rd, 4th or 5th depending on whose rankings you hold in highest regard. Auburn was a surprising 4th or 5th.

Speaking of Auburn

My wife's best friends son, Chad Slade an offensive lineman, signed with Auburn. Unfortunately we missed the festivities but want to share the video

Capitol Hill News

Casual Wednesday — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:04:04 GMT

I'm back from a self-imposed Internet exile. Thanks to CA Berkley WV for covering for me in my absence.

Here's all the news that fit to blog.
New procedural tricks

This one nearly created a case of coffee screen. Remember how we all thought that the budget reconciliation process was going to be the silver bullet of heath care reform? You should. I wrote about it. Well the Senate Republicans are so set on achieving their goal of only offering health care services to rich people (and letting everyone else die quickly) that they are looking for new and better procedural tricks.

And they found one:

Republicans find loophole in budget ploy to push healthcare

Republicans say they have found a loophole in the budget reconciliation process that could allow them to offer an indefinite number of amendments.
Though it has never been done, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) says he's prepared to test the Senate's stamina to block the Democrats from using the process to expedite changes to the healthcare bill.
Experts on Senate procedural rules, from both parties, note that such a filibuster is possible. While reconciliation rules limit debate to 20 hours, senators lack similiarconstraints on amendments and could conceivably continue offering them until 60 members agree to cut the process off.

And here is the key point in all of this:

A former Senate Republican leadership aide said: "The limit is on debate, not on consideration of amendments."

And the part that is even scarier is that there is really no telling what insane amendments might even pass.

This summer and fall, every single Democrat who is facing a Republican incumbent needs to remind the voters that the reason Congress is doing nothing is that the Republicans 1) won't negotiate in good faith and 2) they will obstruct everything they don't like.

For what it's worth, President Obama is pushing Congress to pass a bill.

President Obama sought to rally his party on Wednesday as it heads into a potentially difficult election year, urging fellow Democrats to remember why they ran for office in the first place and to "finish the job" on health-care reform and other tough issues.

****

Maxed Out

Tomorrow, the House is expected to vote to raise the debt ceiling. This figure is the statutory limit on government borrowing. Currently, the cap is $12.4 trillion and we are nearly maxed out:

Treasury expects to hit debt limit in February

WASHINGTON -- The Treasury Department said Wednesday it expects to hit the government's debt ceiling by the end of February, putting pressure on Congress to raise the limit from its current level of $12.4 trillion.
Treasury said it is working closely with Congress to raise the ceiling. The Senate has approved legislation to increase it by $1.9 trillion to $14.3 trillion. A ceiling that high would equal about $45,000 for every American. The House is expected to vote on the increase Thursday.

I wonder when Congress will start getting calls from the nation's creditors looking for their money?

****

Don't Ask, Don't Tell and Don't Listen to Duncan Hunter

A lot of key people want to repeal the military's onerous Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Rep. Duncan Hunter (who ran for president, by the way and got .2 percent of the vote in the South Carolina primary) says that a repeal opens the door to, er, um, something or other...

Rep. Hunter: Repealing 'Don't Ask' Will Hurt Military

Rep. HUNTER: No, because I think that its bad for the cohesiveness and the unity of the military units, especially those that are in close combat, that are in close quarters in country right now. Its not the time to do it. I think its - the military is not civilian life. And I think the folks who have been in the military that have been in these very close situations with each other, there has to be a special bond there. And I think that bond is broken if you open up the military to transgenders, to hermaphrodites, to gays and lesbians.
BLOCK: Transgenders and hermaphrodites.
Rep. HUNTER: Yeah, thats going to be part of this whole thing. Its not just gays and lesbians. Its a whole gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual community. If you're going to let anybody no matter what preference - what sexual preference they have that means the military is going to probably let everybody in. Its going to be like civilian life and the I think that that would be detrimental for the military.

ZOMFG! Max Klinger gets to go home to Toledo.

Meanwhile, the adults were discussing the issue, too.

Senate Armed Forces Committee Chair Carl Levin says repeal it.

Arlen Specter has been pushing for a repeal of both DADT and DOMA at least since he has been a Democrat.

The Pentagon "forcefully" says repeal it.

Even Orrin Hatch is open to the idea.

Rachel Maddow caught Shadow President John McCain equivocating on the issue.

Our biggest road block is House Armed Services Committee Chair Ike Skelton who does not want to broach the issue.

Congressman Ike Skelton, a Democrat serving the socially conservative 4th District of western Missouri, is the powerful chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. And while Skelton's counterpart in the Senate held a hearing yesterday to examine "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," Skelton refuses to consider the topic.
A bill currently floating around Congress that would allow gays to serve openly in the military already has 187 co-sponsors -- leaving it just 31 votes short of the 218 it would need to pass the House. Yet the bill (H.R. 1283), is likely to die on the floor because Skelton refuses to hold a hearing on the legislation in his committee.

Don't get too worried about that. There are ways to force a bill out of committee if a majority of the chamber wants to bring it to a vote. The silver lining here is that it seems it will be the House, rather than the Senate holding things up on this fight.

****

Ike, Ike, Ike

As long as we are talking about Ike Skelton, he is also trying to keep the EPA from doing its job to fight Global Warming.

Senior Democrats floating bill to block EPA on plans for greenhouse gas rules

Reps. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) - who head the Agriculture and Armed Services committees, respectively - introduced a plan Tuesday that would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from placing limits on heat-trapping emissions from power plants, factories and other sources.
"I have no confidence that the EPA can regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act without doing serious damage to our economy," Peterson said in a prepared statement. "Americans know we're way too dependent on foreign oil and fossil fuels in this country - and I've worked hard to develop practical solutions to that problem - but Congress should be making these types of decisions, not unelected bureaucrats at the EPA."

This is the bill that Lisa Murkowski is pushing in the Senate.

****

The Most Important News of the Day?

I just got back from visiting some old friends in a very rural county that is being overwhelmed by natural gas drillers. While natural gas is going to be important in reducing carbon emissions, we need better regulations to protect the environment from harmful drilling practices, like fracking. This process, which pollutes groundwater is legal because of Haliburton. Now my beloved area is crawling with, among other things, Haliburton trucks.

I bring this up as a lead in to this story:

Barton's gas well stake raises ethical questions
WASHINGTON - Rep. Joe Barton has earned nearly $100,000 from an interest in natural gas wells that he purchased from a longtime campaign donor who also advised the congressman on energy policy, according to interviews and records.
At a hearing last month of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Barton said he was "a small, small partner in a natural gas well in Johnson County in the Barnett Shale that is probably my 4-year-old son's college education." He later told a reporter that he couldn't remember precisely how he obtained the interest.
Land records show that Barton, R-Arlington, purchased his interest from Walter G. Mize, a Cleburne businessman who donated more than $30,000 to Barton's campaigns.

That's Joe Barton, ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

And with that, I bid you good day.

Obama SLAMS Sen. Lincoln and centrist Dem Senators! About frikkin time

MinistryOfTruth — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:45:33 GMT

From today's meeting between President Obama and Senate Democrats today comes this gem . . . .

"If the price of certainty is essentially for us to adopt the exact same proposals that were in place for eight years leading up to the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression -- we don't tinker with health care, let the insurance companies do what they want, we don't put in place any insurance reforms, we don't mess with the banks, let them keep on doing what they're doing now because we don't want to stir up Wall Street -- the result is going to be the same," he said. "I don't know why we would expect a different outcome pursuing the exact same policy that got us into this fix in the first place."
Middle class Americans, Obama said, "are more and more vulnerable, and they have been for the last decade, treading water. And if our response ends up being, you know, because we don't want to -- we don't want to stir things up here, we're just going to do the same thing that was being done before, then I don't know what differentiates us from the other guys. And I don't know why people would say, boy, we really want to make sure that those Democrats are in Washington fighting for us."
huffingtonpost.com

Bold text added by the diarist

The question that inspired this response from our President and more below the fold.
President Obama's remark is continued here . . . .

Middle class Americans, Obama said, "are more and more vulnerable, and they have been for the last decade, treading water. And if our response ends up being, you know, because we don't want to -- we don't want to stir things up here, we're just going to do the same thing that was being done before, then I don't know what differentiates us from the other guys. And I don't know why people would say, boy, we really want to make sure that those Democrats are in Washington fighting for us."
huffingtonpost.com

Bold text added by the diarist

That response was directed at Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas who had asked this ridiculous question of the President. Apparently, Blanche missed out on the "Great Republican Retreat" and didn't get the memo that this President will make you look stupid if you ask a stupid question.

She asked: "Are we willing, as Democrats, not only to reach out to Republicans, but to push back in our own party for people who want extremes, and look for the common ground that's going to get us the success that we need not only for our constituents, but for our country, in this global community, in this global economy?"

huffingtonpost.com

In essence, what Senator Lincoln is saying is that Democrats should abandon their platform and be more like Republicans. The same Republicans who created almost all of the problems we face as a nation today. The same Republicans who the voters rejected overwhelmingly in the last 2 election cycles. If I were writing a book titled "How to lose your base and alienate voters" I would ask Blanche Lincoln to write the foreword.

UPDATE: Check out drafthalter.com and let's get behind Bill Halter in the Senate primary in Arkansas. Show him some love if you can, because I want him to kick Blanche Lincoln's (hush your mouth)!
For more info on Bill Halter's primary challenge against Blanche Lincoln please go read and recommend the diary posted by fellow Kossack jsamuel titled Help Us Draft Bill Halter to Challenge Blanche Lincoln!
If we are serious about more and BETTER Dems, this is where we have to start.

I think Obama is starting to get it. Electorally, Democrats can NOT win without the support of their liberal and progressive base. That base will NOT support Democrats come election time if Democrats and their efforts are never more liberal than the most Conservative Democrat in the Senate allows it to be. If liberals and progressives such as myself don't know what differentiates the Democratic party from the other guys why should we even bother to show up and vote? Of course, I know the answer to that one and you probably do as well, but millions and millions of Democratic voters do not. They will say "Screw it, what's the difference?" and they will stay home, and Democrats will get their asses kicked in 2010 because they decided to move to the right and kick hippies instead of kicking Conservative ass. We voted for change we can believe in, not change that we watered down until it looked just like the Conservatives were in charge.

When every policy coming out of Washington must receive Conservative approval while liberals and progressives are always forced to accept the "It's better than nothing" compromise, after a while the activist base of the left that delivered for Democrats in 2006 and 2008 will eventually start to think that the Democratic party just isn't that into us. The gap in voter enthusiasm between the left and right is not based on a rejection of liberalism by the voters, it is based on the disgust liberals are feeling at watching liberalism being rejected by the Democrats in power.

If you want your left wing base to be fired up and ready to go come election time we have to start seeing some of that change we can believe in. Obama can inspire us. Legislation that represents real change we can believe in inspires us. Conservative sell outs like Evan Bayh, Blanche Lincoln and Joe frigging Lieberman inspires NO BODY. They suck. They suck big time, and if Democrats really want to keep the majorities we gave them in 2006 and 2008 they have to stop pretending that every Dem voter is Ben Nelson or Blanche Lincoln.

Of course, words are nice, but what I and progressives like me really want to see is ACTION. It's one thing for Obama to say something that rejects centrist Dem Senators calls for capitulation, it's another thing to DO SOMETHING that shows that Dems are ready to beat Conservatives and not just the hippies and other "left of the lefters" who worked their asses off to get them elected.

After months of watching Joe Lieberman control the debate in the Democratically controlled Senate, watching Bush ~~Blue~~ Dogs fight for Conservative policies and watching the Howard Dean's of the world get pushed away while the Bart Stupak's of the world get a pass I am glad to see the "Let's be more like the Republicans" wing of the Democratic party get a rhetorical shoe thrown at them by President Obama. Sure it ain't much, but it's better than nothing, and that is a good start.

I hope to see MORE and BETTER in the near future, and not just words, but ACTION.

Crossposted at Daily Kos and Docudharma.com

Capitol Hill News Open Thread

CA Berkeley WV — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:10:05 GMT

Some of the Hill news that's fit to blog is over the fold...
No, I did not put Casual Wednesday in a Ground Hog Hole. Tomorrow is Wednesday.

Armed Services in the Senate started its hearings today. You may have head about it. The talked about the upcoming budget. And other things.

The House is scheduled to have hearings Wednesday on the same topics.

Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha was back in the hospital Tuesday after undergoing gallbladder surgery last week.
The Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington said that the 77-year-old Democrat was a patient in its intensive care unit but referred all questions about his condition to his family

Easy to mix up authorizing and appropriation committees. We all ran through the primer form yesterday. I'll say my prayers while I wait.

So a lot of congressional districts might have to decide which side to be on.

The budget will try to ease out spending for the C-17 and the JSF alternative engine. There's more bad news in the fine print about future programs including proposed termination of the Navy's EP-X electronic surveillance, communications intercept and network warfare aircraft - a replacement for the aged EP-3E, the Third Generation Infrared Surveillance system and the Net Enabled Command and Control program.

The alternative engine for the F-36, referred to as F136, and the C-17 are on the chopping block, again.

annual spending of $2.5 billion for C-17 transport planes built by Boeing Co (BA.N) that has been added to the federal budget by Congress in each of the past four years.
::::::::
Gates also said he would strongly recommend a veto of any moves by Congress to keep alive the C-17 program or a second engine for the F-35.
::::::::
The engine is being developed by General Electric Co (GE.N) and Britain's Rolls-Royce (RR.L) as an alternate to the main engine built by Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp (UTX.N).
Obama and Gates tried to kill both programs last year, but lawmakers revived them during the budget process.

South Carolina

In Charleston, it could mean new business for Venture Aerobearings, a 1-year-old company that makes bearings for aerospace engines. Though it would not directly supply the military program, GE Aviation in Greenville would benefit from new commercial engine business that could otherwise be siphoned off by other GE plants, the company says. GE Aviation produces turbine blades for commercial aircraft engines.
::::::::
Eric Hinton, general manager of Venture Aerobearings, praised the U.S. House of Representatives' early October vote that re-established funding for the alternative engine program. An earlier Senate vote had axed the controversial program from the massive defense spending bill.

So the targets would be in the House. District by district.

New Hampshire

U.S. Sens. Judd Gregg and Jeanne Shaheen are being pressed to restore funding for a state-of-the-art fighter jet engine program being worked on at the GE Aviation plant in Hooksett.

Or maybe not if you are short on Congresscritters.

Nevada

The engine is being developed as an alternate for the Pratt & Whitney F-135 engine. Both would be used to power the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is expected to be the only new U.S. fighter jet for decades, with versions for the Air Force, Navy, Marines and eight allied nations.
::::::::
The debate trickles down to Verdi, a hamlet west of downtown Reno. Employees and machinists at Verdi's Firth Rixson Viking plant, which specializes in seamless rolled rings for jet engines, are watching the D.C. debate closely. If the alternate engine program is killed, about seven to 10 more employees will be laid off, General Manager Frank Irons said.

Nevada's Congressional delegation has a mixed record on this on the project.

Now on to the C-17.

California

The Boeing C-17 is assembled almost entirely here in Long Beach and provides about 5,000 jobs to the region.

California bipartisanship

Who's insisting that we buy more of the big planes at roughly $276 million a copy? A strange bipartisan coalition of almost every California incumbent on Capitol Hill -- from Sen. Barbara Boxer, an antiwar liberal, to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), a Reaganite conservative.

Here, There, Everywhere

The C-17 by most accounts has served the Pentagon reliably and well. The cavernous Globemaster is flying in both Iraq and Afghanistan. But the real reason Congress wants more of them has little to do with military need. Boeing has built the C-17's industrial base for political survivability.
The company has spread manufacturing across no fewer than 43 states. C-17 production lines employ more than 30,000 workers, many of them relatively well paid by factory-wage standards. Many of those jobs would be at risk if C-17 work ground to a halt.

We have the President we have and the SECDEF we have. This may be a boring invitation to committee watching. Where are these forty plus states and which congressional districts?

GE Aviation is happy to tell us what to think. We will have the same battle over and over.

Appropriate for Ground Hog Day.

Tuesday Open Thread

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:51:31 GMT

Sorry I didn't get to contribute to the many diaries yesterday. Let's keep up the good work.

Illinois Primaries today

The National Republicans are gaining ground in the money game

From what I've seen a lot of money being poured into the Alabama Gubernatorial Race - the first reports filed in the race which has been in effect nearly a year.

"It's this bill, or everybody dies

deaniac83 — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:14:32 GMT

That's what Ezra Klein said Saturday at a forum sponsored by Families USA. He was referring to the fact that for Democrats, there is no way to move backwards on this. There is no going back on this. There is no smaller piecemeal legislation. Democrats can run on this bill and the success of it having passed, or they can run on a caricature of this bill and the failure of it. Either way, Democrats are tied to it. If we let health reform fail now - if we don't pass it quickly now - the failure will doom the Democratic party. It's this bill, or everybody dies. Not having health care reform will spell political and policy disaster for the Democratic party. Not to mention, Ezra reminded the audience, this bill will save real lives. Failing on this means more real people will continue to die.

Click here to see Ezra Klein make this point succinctly.
There are plenty of people running around in the Democratic party saying that health care reform has to be put on a back burner while Congress works on a jobs bill and so on and so forth. There are two problems with that. As I have pointed out before, the House is already ahead of the game, having passed its massive jobs bill back in December. And secondly, Congress can do more than one thing at a time. We cannot let health care reform lose steam just as the President is picking up steam and exposing the Congressional Republicans for the phonies that they are.

And "this bill" has to start with the House passing the Senate bill first. If for no other reason, because the House can move faster than the Senate - even when the Senate is operating under reconciliation rules. As Jonathan Cohn, Senior Editor of the New Republic points out in the same forum, even while a bill is moving through the reconciliation process, the Republicans can still obstruct and take up time, even though they won't be able to stop it ultimately. Passage of the Senate bill through the House while reconciliation starts in the Senate (but is not completed) and the current Senate bill is signed into law will create momentum.

So, it's time again. You need to call your member of the House and your Senators - even if you have already called. First, call the Capitol switchboard and ask for your member of the House. Tell them politely but firmly that you expect your member to vote for the Senate health care bill as is so that it can be signed by the President. Then urge them to follow up with a reconciliation bill to fix it (or find your member at House.gov). Call the Capitol switchboard back and ask to speak to your Senators (you can also find your Senators on Senate.gov). Tell them you expect them to follow through on the House's reconciliation bill. Call Harry Reid also if you like, as well as Speaker Pelosi. Here are the toll-free numbers:

1-866-338-1015
1-866-220-0044
1-866-311-3405

There is absolutely no excuse why we shouldn't be able to get this done. In fact, we are incredibly close, if Robert Gibbs is to be believed.

"We're one vote in the House of Representatives from making health care reform a reality," the White House press secretary said, positing a scenario where the House passed the version of the bill already passed by the Senate which President Obama would then sign into law.

We are one vote shy. One vote that millions of lives depend on, and that means that it's time to set aside the detractors, the endless back-and-forth, and get it done. If at this point you are unconvinced that this bill will worth passing, I will ask you one more time, can your conscience live with killing the bill?
It's this bill, or everybody dies.

Let's also talk about what this reconciliation everyone is demanding might include. It would be great if a public option can get in, and I'm still going to push for it. A reconciliation bill is only being talked about because Democrats no longer have the 60 votes in the Senate, but the overall parameters of the House-Senate negotiations may not have changed. Recall that prior to the election of Scott Brown to the Senate, the House was demanding fixes to the Senate bill - and those fixes did not include the public option. Those negotiations were directing to these possible demands from the House: a national exchange (instead of state based ones), a supposed fix/temporary exemption for unions of the Cadillac tax and combining it with a millionaire's tax as a revenue mechanism, increasing the subsidies for low-income Americans in the exchange, fixing the Nebraska compromise to give all states the same treatment as Ben Nelson got for Nebraska in terms of Medicaid payments (having the federal government take over 100% of payments rather than sharing it with the states) and ending the anti-trust exemption for health insurance companies. Whatever the Senate was unlikely to give the House before January 19, it is probably not likely to give it now, at least not right away. The reconciliation bill is still taking shape, and this one will likely skip the public option. So the basic question for those of us pushing for a public option in reconciliation is this: are we willing to kill health reform if - as is likely - a reconciliation bill does not include a public option? I am certainly not willing to do that. I am willing to get whatever we can of the rest of the fixes in reconciliation. And once again, I believe that the House should not wait until the reconciliation process is complete to pass the Senate bill - it will only delay the bill without any sense of success or accomplishment to fuel the rest of the path.

Sen. Al Franken has begged the House to pass the Senate bill if the Senate will promise to fix it through reconciliation. I think he put it best:

"I know that there are elements of the Senate bill that are distasteful to many members of the House of Representatives," Franken said. "Believe me, there are a few elements in our bill that I'd like to see improved.
"But If we in the Senate pledge to fix those elements through reconciliation - a budget process that requires only 51 votes, the House of Representatives should pass the Senate bill," he said. "Big pieces of legislation often need to be fixed and improved after passage. Health care would be no different. But we have to stop letting the perfect - and everyone has different definitions of perfect - be the enemy of the very good."

I am with those who believe the Senate bill should be fixed through a reconciliation process, and I will continue to push my Senators for it. But this cannot be an excuse for letting the underlying Senate bill wither on the vine or die. Insisting that the reconciliation bill must not just begin but pass the Senate before the House can act is delaying health care reform, and potentially derailing it. Besides, if anyone believes that whatever can be pushed into a reconciliation package are the only fixes this bill is ever going to need, I have a very nice bridge in Brooklyn that I would like to sell you. The process of improving this law will begin the moment the President signs the legislation, and will most definitely not end once a reconciliation bill is also signed into law. It is going to take much longer term commitment both for us advocates and for Congress. So let's pass the damn bill, and commit to seeing it improve not just in reconciliation but by any means necessary in the coming years.

Self-plug: You can read this and other thoughts of mine on my blog, The People's View. You can also follow me on Twitter @thepeoplesview.

Just A Few Comments

mr_reed_45 — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:36:18 GMT

It has been a while since I have done anything productive, ripped, bitched, moaned, made fun of anything in more then just a Facebook status, so here we go. A week or so of pent up shenanigans, got a little time on my hands, so I might as well let shit fly. For those of ya reading over at Progressive Electorate.com, I am Jeff, a simple guy, can't write worth a lick (dropped out of Journalism school) and can't keep a straight thought to save my life, but if you will manage to hang with me, I will try to make it worth your while. To Facebookers, thanks for letting me be me.

On Scott Brown and Massachusetts. - Seems this whole Scott Brown thing was spun as America somehow rejecting President Obama and the Democrats initiatives. Of course, us realists would see this as the people of Massachusetts rejecting a candidate that was so out of touch with the people of her state, that Ted Kennedy or not, they wanted nothing to do with her. I don't blame them. We on the Left got to complacent. We just figured we could waltz our ways into any public office we wanted and spin the same 2008 crap and it would win with the people. It will not win. This is our watch now, the people want results from us for them. If you put out a crap candidate that in no way wants to interact with the people and can not even remember state heroes that played right there in your own backyard, then you do not deserve to win. Its a pretty simple view, I know, but really, we in Missouri would not vote for a candidate that says Stan Musial was a fantastic Cub. Seriously. I would throw a 5 year old, pissy pants temper tantrum. Fact of the matter is, Scott Brown and his campaign out worked the Coakley campaign. While Martha Coakley was on vacation, Scott Brown was shaking hands in McDonald's drive throughs as people passed through to get they're morning coffee. A voter wants to see that. A connection was made and it made an impression. I would have a hard time not voting for a person, standing in freezing temperatures, in a Carhartt jacket, shaking hands, drinking a hot cup of Joe with folks as they head off to work. We all want the same thing, a politician, a person in Washington that you can relate to. Scott Brown did that, Martha Coakley did not. Now whether Scott Brown continues that or not is yet to be seen. Yes, I fully believe that he is another Republican ass wad that will vote in favor of the corporations, the health insurance companies, and will think that the key to prosperity will come with less regulation in any industry and providing tax cuts to wealthy individuals and big corporations that will send countless jobs overseas to save a few bucks. But as of now, he out worked, out campaigned, just flat out got with it, made a connection and won. Now we on the Left need to realize the errors in our ways, get out, shake a few hands, stop typing so damn much and start reconnecting like we did in 2008. Scott Brown is a pebble in the Atlantic, lets not let them become mountains.

On The State Of The Union - I was pretty nervous heading into The State Of The Union, partially because I was in South Missouri at the time, a very conservative region, and just in passing, I heard many comments regarding The President and the upcoming State Of The Union, so I immediately knew the man had to knock it out of the park. Not really a new theme considering the amount of pressure this man is under and has been under from Day 1. For most of us, we have the ability to look past the black-white, weird name thing. He is a man, he is just like us, and he is the man we sent there to do the job. For many, it is still a black-white thing, and they are willing to hang anything on this mans head because they are unable to look past that. That is frustrating. South Missouri made that more relevant to me. Somehow, I managed to keep it zipped and just go about my way. I wasn't real sure how the President was going to connect with the American people. But he did, and in a big way. It's funny, I am pretty Left on the issues, and as most of you know, I am a big supporter of this man, have been since his announcement to run for President. For all the flack this man gets about being extremely Liberal or radical Left, he has been anything but. He has been Left, but not extreme Left. State Of the Union night, he became really Centered, and honestly, I couldn't have been any happier. It seemed it had sunk in to a degree, much like I said above with Scott Brown, honeymoon is over, were in power now, time to put up or shut up. I loved how he painted Republicans into a corner on NO voting EVERYTHING, saying basically throwing a partisan temper tantrum is not the leadership you was sent her to do. I like how he outlined a plan for Energy Independence, showcasing different initiatives that drew applause from Republicans every time, only to sucker them in by saying and all this will be possible with the passing of a Clean Energy Bill, which as you can imagine, drew no applause from Republicans. I like how he basically dared Republicans to oppose a Jobs Bill he is pushing Congress to pass, which would be a bill, with 10% unemployment in this nation, what is at the top of everyone's worries, would be political suicide for any Republican to oppose. I like how he finally is putting repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell on his list of priorities. A person, all well qualified persons should be fully entitled to serve this nation regardless of sexual orientation. The Republicans being glued to they're seats when topics like taxing corporations that send jobs overseas and Health Care painted a pretty broad picture for the American public. The Republicans can say they have provided options all they want, fact is, they haven't. They option is to delay, stall, and just downright NO vote everything that Obama wants to achieve. Look, its ok to oppose something, but you better have a reason and solution as to why. They do not. Obama made that clear, the Republicans sitting on they're hands made that clear. Obama's policies that night were still enough to make us here on the Left happy, but where I think he really connected, he became more Centered on how he talked to the American people. As someone said this past week to me on Facebook, we get it, your smart (on Obama, not me). Spot on comment. We all know he is a articulate, well spoken man, very intelligent, I guess we just needed him to dumb it up a bit to make a real connection. Somehow, someway, it worked. Next day, still in South Missouri, Conservative America was actually buzzing somewhat on what The President had to talk about. Jokes and hateful remarks turned into, "I think he did a pretty good job" and "I hope he makes it happen". I was stunned. I was happy. I think we may have somewhat turned the corner, albeit, a small turn. There is hope. This doesn't mean we get complacent again. WORK. RESEARCH. TALK.

So, since The State Of The Union went well, can we finally bury this as our future and The Tea Partiers with it?

That is exactly what it will be like if we on the Left do not start outworking The Tea Partiers and debunking they're bullshit sooner. Anyways, off of that, I could spend all night talking about those embarrassments to the human race.

On Obama meeting with entire Republican leadership - This was impressive. Going into the lions den, swords somewhat put away, getting fired upon from all directions. No other President has ever done this. This was good. The Republicans invited, Obama accepted. Gonna have a hard time telling people that The President doesn't want to communicate with you and work with you when he accepted an invitation you sent, to meet with your entire elected leadership, in a setting you chose, and answering non pre-screened questions that you ask. The Republicans are making they're own bed. I think it was 1 in 4 people that typically vote Republican do not even admit to being a Republican. That is embarrassing when people that vote for you, do not even want to admit to being one of you. Out of touch and running out of time.

Just a few quick hits here. Robin Carnahan is a secret Republican I think. She is going to be what I call a "Thermometer Politician". Shes really not quite a Democrat I think. I think she just takes the temperature of the public and goes with that. Today, she called out President Obama on his budget, saying he is showing a lack of "fiscal discipline". My outrage with her has become more apparent of late with her offices handling of some closer to home issues with a close friend. Like I said, I am looking at her as a temperature taker and not sticking strong with an issue. I will at the moment, not be supporting her in November, pretty bad for a head strong Democrat like myself. Of course, I will not be supporting ass clown Roy Blunt either. Here's the link to the story over at Huffington Post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/01/robin-carnahan-disappoint_n_445075.html

December consumer spending and personal income numbers both rose, a great sign for a struggling economy. January manufacturing numbers increased for a 6th straight month I believe it was, and our economy grew in the 4th Quarter of 2009 at a rate of 5.2%, the highest rate of growth in almost 6 years I believe it was. Here is the story on spending, income, and manufacturing provided by Yahoo! Finance.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Factory-activity-fueling-apf-951024808.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=5&asset=&ccode=

What does the above tell me, and the past few months of positive economic data? Without the ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which can be tracked at Recovery.org), we would be at 15% unemployment and our economy will still be shrinking instead of showing growth. Long term, this is good. As for the markets go, I said a month or so ago, I though the markets had priced in the recovery already, which was evidence of there being more bullish investors then bearish, which mean, run for the hills. Good economic data has not really helped the markets the past few weeks, it says it wants to head lower. I am not a buyer of anything right now, I am stock piling cash, waiting for a decent jobs report to send us lower, then I will be buying. As famed Billionaire investor Warren Buffett says, "Be greedy when others are fearful", but reverse that, so Be fearful when others are greedy. Set cash aside, and wait for a pullback.

Thanks for reading.

"I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell" - Harry Truman.

Capitol Hill News Open Thread

CA Berkeley WV — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:12:50 GMT

Some of the Hill news that's fit to blog is over the fold...
First, we will start with a thanks to all those in webranding's diary who admitted to reading Today in Congress. It takes a real mench to admit and interest in the sausage making.

Budget time. Defense Department Budget Time. Lots of terms. Lots of Acronyms.

And none of this is easy for the public to understand. Casual Wednesday's primer is a good place to start.

Remember, this is information the committees are putting out there themselves. This is good stuff, and they want you to read and understand it. They won't spoon feed it to you, of course. But it's out there.
It's arcane. It's hard to understand. And it's something most people are entirely in the dark about. But it's out there, so to the extent that we stay in the dark, it's our own fault.

Not sexy.

If there is a shift in procurement, the military industrial complex has almost every one of the 535 members of Congress worried about jobs. Remember the votes on the F-22 program? It was the first time I had seen the senior senator from my sate in two months.

Mr. Byrd opposed the amendment, which would eliminate $1.75 billion for five F-22 planes, but it passed the Senate 58-40. President Obama had threatened to veto the overall spending measure if it contained the fighter jet money.
Mr. Byrd, the West Virginia Democrat, said that he opposed the measure because the jet program provided important job opportunities during the economic recession.

It was the Department of Defense (DOD) version of 'too big to fail' last year? Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) Robert Gates said it is not over and the veto crayon is being sharpened. Bipartisanship may break out.

SECDEF also touched on the unsustainable rise in health insurance costs. Premiums under TriCare have not been raise since its inception in 1995. Staying with that level of support will put pressure on other parts of the budget. And unfortunately, underscore the total frustration with the insert your favorite thing here] that meant that health care reform become health insurance reform became not done for the August recess and seemingly derailed after 19 Jan 2010. And it goes on.

The brand new senator still has not reported for duty. When does the term slacker start to be applicable?

When Sen. Brown does grace us with his presence, the committee assignments will have been worked out. Here's to hoping that Leader Reid dos not give away the majorities on committees that cost us taxpayers a 10% increase in the legislative budget for the jobs programs for almost-former Republican staffers.

And in case I have not interested you in committee watching yet, just remember, Senator Max Baucus D-MT is still the chair of the Senate Finance Committee. By the time a bill hits the floor, . . .

And what truly is The Most Important News of the Day: ^TM

I can't watch all these f'n committees. Some may not deal with the DOD budget.

Seriously, where would you like to see the emphasis go?

President Palin renews and expands enhanced interrogation program

MinistryOfTruth — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 04:19:42 GMT

Jan 30th, 2017

Just days after being inaugaurated as America's 45th President, Sarah Palin has announced that her administration will renew the enhanced interrogation programs that began after 9/11.

"We take very, very seriously the threat that potential terrorists expose upon our freedoms, so I decided that we shouldn't take any options off the table. Now every police station in the country will be equipped to interrogate the thousands and thousands of terrorists that are hiding in our country. Until we know how many terrorists there really are in America my baby Trig and the rest of America can never be really safe, doncha know. And we can never really know until we start interrogating random Americans, who should have nothing to fear if they aren't involved with the terrorists. Also, just think of all the new jobs this will create, since we are gonna need a lot of new police officers to deal with all the new terrorists we have to find. Today is a great day for freedom." President Palin said with a wink towards the cameras.

Continued below the fold
Sarah Palin, despite losing the popular vote AND the electoral college vote, won the Presidency after the Supreme Court sided with her campaign team in the now famous FreedomWorks V Electoral College ruling where the Supreme Court found the Electoral College and the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments of the constitution to be unconstitutional and awarded the Presidency to Sarah Palin.

When asked about the decision and it's impact on America, Associate Justice Antonin Scalia said "That's not true."

Palin's Vice President Joe Lieberman held a press conference yesterday with newly appointed White House Press Secretary Glenn Beck to explain how the new program would focus on rooting out fascists, socialists, communists and gay people who pose a threat to America's moral fabric and purity. The Press Conference consisted of VP Lieberman saying names and Press Secretary Beck announcing whether they were potential terrorists or not.

Newly appointed Secretary of Homeland Security Michele Bachmann stated that she would like to see the new and broader enhanced interrogation program applied to certain members of congress who might harbor Un-American opinions. "Since the media will not expose the Un-American terrorist sympathizers at work in our government we will have to do it ourselves. It is the only way to keep us safe."

When asked about the legality of these new measures President Palin's Attorney General nominee Jim DeMint stated "Well, of course they are legal. If there was anything illegal about it the Department of Justice would have had a huge investigation into the administration that originally started the program, and any people who had been found to have broken the law would have been held accountable. That is how our system works. Since they did not, we know that nothing is wrong with enhanced interrogation. Besides, why do you care so much abouyt these terrorists? Anyway, if you'll excuse me I have a meeting with White House Spiritual advisor Douglas Coe."

Palin's Senior Adviser Karl Rove added "If the Bush/Cheney Administration that I was a part of did anything illegal I am certain the Democrat party would have attacked us with it. That's what I would do. I mean, let's say something illegal happened under that Administration, only a political idiot wouldn't attack his opponent with it and use it to their advantage. That is, of course, IF something illegal happened, which clearly it did not."

When asked to further elaborate on her new enhanced interrogation program, President Palin asked "What's a elaborate?" Moments later, her aides whisked her away, and told reporters that any and all questions regarding the new program would be answered on President Palin's daily newscast at 5pm on Fox News.

Earlier in the day, President Palin made this statement to the press.

"After the recent failed wig bombing at LAX Americans are more afraid for their safety than ever. That is why my administration is taking advantage of this situation to make sure that all Americans are totally safe. Totally safety is total freedom, even if it means losing some freedoms to be more safe. Instead of waiting for terror attacks like the wig bombing to happen before acting we will now know in advance, which guarantees the safest, freest, most securist America Americans have ever known. Right now my team of mavericks is working to ensure that every American can be as safe as my baby Trig. And soon we will invade the terrorist nation of New Zealand where the wig bomber came from, and that will make us even safer. Also, it will make markets freer when we privatize and outsource the entire public sector of New Zealand, while brining freedom and spreading liberty to all of the suffering New Zealanders. They should share the American dream just like all of the true patriots from small towns like this that I call the real America. Also, I'd like to remind you that my new book "How to win the Presidency without getting elected" will be out next month, and all of the proceeds go to sustaining capitalism from the attacks of socialists and fascists. You can pre-order it now!

The new and improved enhanced interrogation program proposed by President Palin will be used on American citizens and foreigners in order to keep America as safe as possible. When reporters asked why the program would be used on American citizens as well, Palin's Chief of Staff Liz Cheney told reporters to "Go fuck yourselves". Those reporters were then questioned by the CIA before being placed on an extraordinary rendition flight to Syria.

I write this half as a warning. If Amerca does not hold the Bush/Cheney War Criminals accountable, this bit of satirical prognostication may actually come true. Maybe the names will be different, but the power that the next Administration that chooses to go one step farther than Bush/Cheney will be absolute. The only way to prevent that from happening is by bringing the architechts of the Bush/Cheney torture programs to justice.

Crossposted at Daily Kos and Docudharma.com

Open Thread Sunday Night

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 02:34:37 GMT

Anything going on out there?

Illinois Primaries on Tuesday

Watch the Senate, Gubernatorial and IL-10 primaries.

In the Senate Dem side we should expet State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and FOO (friend of Obama) to win although he's been beaten up lately which could mean trouble in the fall

IL-10 is the seat where Dan Seals failed to beat Mark Kirk (who is running for Sen) twice and is going for the third times a charm appeal. Usually not a very successful motto in electoral politics.

Sunday Open Thread -One Week from Super Bowl - More Talk About Advertising than the Game

admin — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:55:07 GMT

One week until the Super Bowl. However, I've heard more talk and controversy about the ads than I have about the Colts and the Saints or can we say Who Dat nation.

Speaking of ads - CBS will allow the Focus on the Family Tebow ad but chose to ban mancrunch.com gay dating site

Here's the ad

The Focus on the Family ad is an issue ad, whereas the Mancrunch.com ad seems to be a lifestyle product ad. I don't find the Mancrunch.com ad as particularly racy and echo these comments

CBS's decision to accept the Focus on the Family ad was controversial because most networks have a policy of banning advocacy ads during the Super Bowl, and have rejected ones by groups such as MoveOn.org and PETA in the past. Last year, NBC rejected a 30-second public service announcement about marriage equality to run during the Super Bowl.
Andrew Sullivan writes, "In the past, issues ads were deemed non-kosher - but if it's a Christianist and virulently anti-gay organization behind the ad, it appears to be ok. But if it's a humorous commercial ad for a gay dating service, CBS says no. ... There is one reason this ad was denied. Its gay content was deemed offensive to football fans, while an anti-abortion issues ad wasn't. That's called blatant discrimination and if it doesn't lead to aggressive protests I'll be very surprised."

2. The Who Dat Nation - Can we even say that anymore? Yes, it seems that the NFL has backed off it's earlier claim that it owns all rights to Who Dat.

The National Football League appeared to back off Friday on its trademark ownership claims to the phrase "Who Dat" and the fleur-de-lis logo, saying it is challenging the sale of items only "when those products contained or are advertised using other trademarks or identifiers of the Saints."
" 'Who Dat' we do not claim to own by itself," said Brian McCarthy, a spokesman for the NFL. "It's when 'Who Dat' is used in conjunction with Saints marks that it's a problem."
McCarthy said T-shirts and items with 'Who Dat' and a fleur-de-lis logo unlike the one owned by the Saints are allowed as long as they are not advertised as being Saints or NFL paraphernalia.

One more reason to cheer for the Saints next Sunday in my book.

President Obama Gave a Lecture to Republicans

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:17:40 GMT

Here's what NC Republican Virginia "Crazy Like a "Foxx (NC-05) said about the meeting with Obama yesterday

Via twitter feed

Pres gave us another lecture. Our guys asked great questions. Need independent fact checker for his comments. Got autograph

A lecture? - Not my understanding. "Our guys" - they didn't let the gals ask questions?

You got his autograph? - Are you kidding me? Are you going to put it on Ebay?

BTW

Here's a lecture by Virginia Foxx on health care