Truly riveting political teevee....

Friday is generally the dump day for news, however this is some of the most compelling political debate we have seen in some time. I am actually amazed at how this was covered.

Marc Ambinder at the Atlantic probably encapsulates it best in this post:

Accepting the invitation to speak at the House GOP retreat may turn out to be the smartest decision the White House has made in months. Debating a law professor is kind of foolish: the Republican House Caucus has managed to turn Obama's weakness -- his penchant for nuance -- into a strength. Plenty of Republicans asked good and probing questions, but Mike Pence, among others, found their arguments simply demolished by the president. (By the way: can we stop with the Obama needs a teleprompter jokes?)

Here is the video of the actual back and forth.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I know I am political junkie, but really the public could benefit from more of this, not less. At least in this instance is shows the shallowness of the republican caucus and the command of the issues that the president has.

-Cheers

I weep for the Republic

I know that I am not the average citizen. I pay a fair amount of attention to civics and policy disputes, so I understand that I may have a deeper affinity for politics then most. I was going to write some stuff about the Presidents first State of the Union Address (I thought it was a very good speech, but I need to see some results, some actual iron in his spine, something for his extremely disheartened base, because as much as it is in vogue to say Presidents need to pick fights with their base, there hasn't been a whole lot to cheer about up to this point) but I came across this poll that that absolutely made my jaw drop.

Basically what this says to me, is that there are no consequences for being obstructionist. The Republican (and it will become the democratic mindset when they are in the minority) mindset is simply complete obstruction will not have any downside for us. People really only have two options if we cause the majority to fail, then by default they will pick us.

It turns out that is a good plan. People seem to be too ignorant of the actual issues, policies and statements of elected officials. Combined with the media's absolute abdication of its role as an adversary to the status quo.

We have weak representatives, a disengaged executive, a nihilistic minority, and an ignorant populace.

We are so screwed.

-Cheers

The Myth of the Independent.

This is probably one the most persistent myths that pundits cater too. That political Independents are this vast swath of the American electorate. Statistics to the contrary, they chirp about it every day. Here is a nice post that puts the truth to that lie, here.

-Cheers

Worst. Idea. Ever.

This is just a stupid panicky idea. It is an article of faith amongst Independents and Republicans that the government spends too much. During a recession cutting spending is absolutely the worst thing you can do. But I am no economist. Here is a bit of an aggregation of those less then sterling views here and here.

Basically you court this if you want a neo-Hooverite type of dip in the economy. It is idiotic and deeply unserious. I have said it before, and I will say it again. People do not understand the economy at large. They are upset about not having jobs, so they focus on a deficit they don't understand, and the government always spends too much.

I will turn it over to Ms. Maddow, because she is bringing the appropriate amount of rage.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

-Cheers

He wrote it down for them....all the have to do is read it....

Steve Benen over at the Washington Monthly penned, what could be described as a policy paper for the Democratic Party on Health Care.

It's a good piece I highly recommend reading it. I hope every member of the Democratic caucus reads it and that the President himself does as well. It is time for the Democratic Party to show some stones. They may have the better policy on the merits, but that isn't enough. They need to be willing to lose over it.

Elected leaders rarely get an opportunity to make a difference on such a grand scale. Indeed, in many ways, Democrats aren't just considering a solution to a chronic national problem, they're facing a test of their character. Democrats can either deliver or break their promise. They can either prove their ability to govern or appear inept. They can either satisfy the expectations of those who elected them or demoralize those who are counting on them. They can either watch the media cover their once-in-a-generation breakthrough or watch the media scrutinize a debacle for the ages.

Democrats, in other words, can either succeed or fail.

Looking back, the effort to reach this open door began last spring, but those with an eye for history know that America was actually carried to this point by giants with names like Roosevelt, Truman, Dingell, and Kennedy. With this once-in-a-generation opportunity, this Congress and this president can honor their legacy, and at long last, finish the task they began.

With a little courage and compassion, this generation of leaders can make comprehensive health care reform a reality, proving to the nation that they are worthy of the public's trust. House approval of the Senate bill — with additional improvements to be made through reconciliation — is the most efficient and effective way to deliver on the promise.

It simply requires one more step through an open door.

Otherwise they do not deserve my time or my vote. If they believe giving up will help them, they are are as misguided
as their opponents think they are.

-Cheers

You can't expect them to know anything.....

But this cartoon pretty much sums up my feelings on most media analysis, of well, anything even remotely complex.

-Cheers

Behold the GOP's 41 seat majority in the Senate!

There are many things I could say about the results from last night. I am disappointed no doubt. Cruelest of ironies that Sen. Kennedy's vacant seat could be the death knell for his life long crusade for Health Care Reform, for another generation.

I think this post by Ezra Klein sums up the my feeling about the Democratic Party right now (cross posted in full):

Demoralized Democrats

Reader MK writes:

I've voted for Democrats all my life. I've campaigned for and donated to the Democratic Party. But if they say they can't or won't go any further on health care because they only have 59 votes in the Senate, they deserve to lose.

I'm hearing a lot of this. Last night, I was talking to a committed Democrat. A Massachusetts Democrat, in fact. And her despair was persuasive. "I didn't vote for a party that would abandon my agenda because it lost one seat in the Senate," she said. "The party I voted for, and want to be part of, would recognize political opportunity in the waning days of its supermajority and pass what it could pass, and then keep coming back for more."

The loss in Massachusetts was a terrible disappointment to Democrats. But it can be explained away. Martha Coakley was a terrible candidate. Scott Brown ran an excellent campaign. These things happen.

But the reaction congressional Democrats have had to Coakley's loss has been much more shattering. It has been a betrayal.

The fundamental pact between a political party and its supporters is that the two groups believe the same thing and pledge to work on it together. And the Democratic base feels that it has held to its side of the bargain. It elected a Democratic majority and a Democratic president. It swallowed tough compromises on the issues it cared about most. It swallowed concessions to politicians it didn't like and industry groups it loathed. But it persisted. Because these things are important. That's why those voters believe in them. That's why they're Democrats.

But the party looks ready to abandon them because Brown won a special election in Massachusetts -- even though Democrats can pass the bill after Brown is seated. What that says is crucial: Whereas the base thought it was making these hard compromises and getting up early to knock on doors because these issues are important, the party thought all that was happening because, well, it's hard to say. It was electorally convenient? People need something to do? Ted Kennedy wanted it done?

If Democrats let go of health care, there is no doubt that a demoralized Democratic base will stay home in November. And that's as it should be. If the Democratic Party won't uphold its end of the bargain, there's no reason its base should pretend the deal is still on.

That is pretty much it for me. They asked me to help them get elected so they could enact an agenda I believed in. Make our country a little more humane and our policies a little more sane. Now they want to abandon that? Change is hard. It always has been. Moreover, they blame me for its failing (Greenwald shows the absolutely cravenness involved here), this is just too much to stomach. They asked me to compromise on the Single-payer. I did. Compromise on the Public Option. I did that too. All to satisfy feckless moderate democrats and disingenuous moderate republicans. This health care bill was not too liberal. No fair reading could call it that. It was moderate and conservative to the extreme. To placate the Evan Bayhs and Ben Nelsons of the world. So do not blame me for your lack of vision and weak spine.

I stood in the rain, and canvased in the cold. I phone banked, and logged hours registering people to vote. So I echo the refrain Ezra quoted, if this political party can not even stand up for its core beliefs. Then I want no part of it and will not support it. I will not support a President who is unwilling or squeamish about getting his hands dirty. Compromise is great when you have a willing partner. But sometimes you have to fight. Even if you finally lose.

-Cheers