Trying to pick a new wallpaper for the computer. Tired of the pets, tired of the hubble snapshots. Suggestions?
Paging The Illinois 4th
Green Shoots?
Contra Marshall, I would not put much weight on tea leaves and second derivatives. For example.
That uptick in support for Obama over health care happened at about the same time that Obama personally stepped into the process (i.e., announed his summit). Note that Obama didn’t push any specific policy until two days before the summit on February 25. People apparently respect leaders who care about things and show some leadership in making them happen. If nothing else the Bush administration showed that Americans reward boldness and success more or less independently of what the new laws actually do. Bush freed the FBI to tap everyone’s phones and more than half the country went nuts with joy.
Whatever minor upswing Democrats might be riding right now, they’re riding it because they have grown a little fighting spirit. If they let health care die the country will turn on them for being losers. Most Democrats will take exactly the wrong lesson from that and compromise the rest of their agenda away, and Republicans will run roughshod over them until they win a majority back in November.
thereisnospoon at Kos.
The situation now is as follows:
* Whatever happens, must happen quickly or not at all.
* Stances on healthcare reform have hardened significantly for nearly all legislators.
* Whatever deals were going to be made, have basically already been made.In short, the time for bluffing and negotiation is at an end. The final deal (Senate bill + reconciliation) is basically written in stone. Now the only question is whether that deal will pass, or not–and who will be allied with whom in that coming battle.
Exactly. Policy discussions are done. The House will put out its reconciliation bill as soon as Monday. The only question left is whether Democrats will grow the balls to save millions of uninsured Americans and their own jobs.
Today would be a good day to get to know your Reps’ staffers on a first-name basis.
Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Guide for first-timers here.
Shenanigans
Did the Democratic leadership plan all along to use the public option as a bait and switch to placate the base, as Greenwald believes? Dick Durbin claims that he can’t allow any amendments at all if Democrats want to avoid the infinite amendment gambit. Is Durbin right? I doubt that anyone other than the Senate parliamentarian knows the answer to that.
Open Thread: Thursday (Late) Night Menu
My apologies to Bad Horse’s Filly for not posting this earlier:
It has been an interesting week. Very glad it’s almost over. We’ve swung between sunny spring weather and rainy spring weather. Both are welcome. So tonight’s menu features a primavera. Which is Italian for springtime. The carrot cake is not what you’d expect, it is a fruity, light confection with a definite spring touch. Buon appetite!
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On the board tonight:
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Chicken Primavera
Carrot Cake
Click the link for recipes and shopping list.
Also from BHF:
And don’t forget to check out JeffreyW’s rescue puppies! Also known as a giggle of puppies.
We’d Like To Help You Learn To Help Yourself
Health reform is back from the dead. Many Democrats have realized that their electoral prospects will be better if they can point to a real accomplishment. Polling on reform — which was never as negative as portrayed — shows signs of improving. And I’ve been really impressed by the passion and energy of this guy Barack Obama. Where was he last year?
I dunno. Maybe expecting the Democratic majority in the legislature to write some legislation on the issue they have been trumpeting for five decades? I guess the fact Obama had some personal relationships with people from his time in the Senate blinded him to the simple fact that the vast majority of Democrats in congress are as worthless as breasts on men.
Also, only recently has the White House deployed the Rahm Emanuel Penis of Doom in the House showers, so who knows what else they have up their sleeves in their pants left?
I don’t know how anyone can look at the past year and not realize the problem in this government is in the Senate, and not the House or the White House.
We’d Like To Help You Learn To Help YourselfPost + Comments (108)
Moment of Zen
I’m just poaching this picture from RedKitten’s FB feed, but this picture of SamKitten after a bath is too damned adorable to not post:
It kind of looks like that Redkitten ran into the same assembly issues that TBOGG did with Wembley, because those legs don’t look like they are in the right place.