MAKING SAUSAGE

The only good thing that can be said about the Senate deal on the stimulus package (assuming there aren’t further betrayals to come) is that it gets the process into a conference committee to reconcile the Senate and House versions. Presumably some things can be added back into the bill – like funding for the states – that are absolutely essential for its success. Then we’ll go through another round of this nonsense and posturing. The GOP moderates will say the bill got too big again, we’ll have to go through another round of whining from McConnell, Graham, McCain, Boehner, and all those bad-faith Republicans who say they were closed out of the negotiations, when their only negotiating position has been “pass a Republican bill, or we will oppose it.”

And we see, step by step, the emergence of the New Republican Party – adamantly opposed to bipartisanship, blocking every possible Obama success, and at war with its own moderate wing. Rush will be very pleased. . .



A deal, of sorts

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/06/AR2009020602097.html
Against a backdrop of rising unemployment, Senate Democrats struck a hard-won deal yesterday with a handful of Republican moderates to scale back spending in a massive economic stimulus bill, virtually guaranteeing Senate passage of the legislation but also ensuring arduous final negotiations with the House. . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/07/us/politics/07stimulus.html
Mr. Obama called Ms. Collins and Mr. Specter, as well as Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, another Republican expected to support the deal, to acknowledge they were acting against pressure from their party and, one official said, to thank them for their patriotism in helping advance the bill at a critical time. . . .

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-ap-congress-stimulus,0,3913143.story
Architects of the compromise included Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Ben Nelson, D-Neb., who represented a broader group of moderates unhappy that so much money went into programs they thought wouldn't create jobs. Eventually, every Republican except Collins and Arlen Specter, R-Pa., left the talks, which finally produced a deal with the White House late Friday afternoon. . . .

In addition to Collins and Specter, Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine pledged to vote for the legislation. . . .

What was dropped from the Senate bill

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/stimulus-package/latest-cuts-to-the-stim-package-head-start-child-nutrition-food-stamps-public-transit/

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/6/194044/2319/363/694258

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/big-bipartisan-on-campus-by-dday-couple.html
[Dday] I'm sorry, but anyone who proposes cutting funding to state and local governments at this point is a complete moron. . . . [read on]

What will happen when the Senate and House bills go to conference?

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11422

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/6/18520/65362/396/694233

It’s always good for Republicans

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/win-win-by-digby-hardball-is-reporting.html
[Digby] Hardball is reporting that the new bill is 42% tax cuts now and 58% spending, which is considered a big win for Republicans.

And they are still fighting it.

And when it finally comes to the floor, they won't vote for it anyway.

That's how a truly ruthless opposition party works. They ruin the legislation, are lauded as winners for ruining the legislation and then vote against the legislation that they ruined. Awesome. . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/opinion/06krugman.html
[Paul Krugman] A not-so-funny thing happened on the way to economic recovery. Over the last two weeks, what should have been a deadly serious debate about how to save an economy in desperate straits turned, instead, into hackneyed political theater, with Republicans spouting all the old clichés about wasteful government spending and the wonders of tax cuts.

It’s as if the dismal economic failure of the last eight years never happened — yet Democrats have, incredibly, been on the defensive. . . .

Even if a major stimulus bill does pass the Senate, there’s a real risk that important parts of the original plan, especially aid to state and local governments, will have been emasculated. . . .

More on “bipartisanship”

http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=16770
[John Cole] I really don’t understand how bipartisanship is ever going to work when one of the parties is insane. Imagine trying to negotiate an agreement on dinner plans with your date, and you suggest Italian and she states her preference would be a meal of tire rims and anthrax. If you can figure out a way to split the difference there and find a meal you will both enjoy, you can probably figure out how bipartisanship is going to work the next few years.

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/02/bipartisan_folly_ii_follyball.php
[Brian Beutler] I was just privileged to hear John McCain lecture the Senate on the importance of bipartisanship. Two or three Republican senators, he argued, doesn’t make the bill bipartisan. And you know, he’s right. It isn’t. Also, you know what else isn’t bipartisan? His stimulus amendment . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/6/203940/6766/344/694277
[BarbinMD] Republicans are sad ... except John McCain, because he's angry ... but mostly they're sad because there was no bipartisanship, and there could have been, had the damn Democrats just compromised even more than they did. Because we all know how Republicans define bipartisanship. . . .

Now from all reports, this compromise bill stinks. But it's galling to listen to the crap that McCain, Graham, Coburn and company have been spewing tonight. We've had Graham attacking President Obama for making a partisan speech at a Democratic retreat, Coburn calling it a "generational theft bill," and McCain whining about "people saying 'we won the election so we'll write the bill.'"

http://www.americablog.com/2009/02/top-gop-strategist-is-for-wussy.html
Top GOP Strategist: Saving the economy through bipartisanship is for "wussy Republicans"

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/02/06/newt/index.html
This morning, on NBC's "Today Show," Gingrich echoed a new Republican criticism of Obama, and claimed the president isn't being bipartisan enough in his handling of the stimulus debate. Gingrich's whole four and a half minute interview with host Matt Lauer (video below) is something of a marvel to watch. . . .

[NB: You know we’ve reached some kind of neck-snapping spin reversal when NEWT GINGRICH is complaining that the opposition isn’t bipartisan enough.]

CNN headlines this with “Obama gets bad early review”

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/02/06/romney-obama-off-to-a-rocky-start/
Mitt Romney says it’s “been a good year” since he dropped out of the GOP nomination fight, but, he says, “I wish I would have won the nomination, and won the presidency.”

In an interview with TIME magazine, Romney said the man who won the presidency, Barack Obama, “is off to a rocky start.” . . .

[NB: Stop the presses! The man who wishes he’d been elected President instead of Obama thinks he isn’t off to such a great start. This is deep, significant journalism.]

The stars of the GOP

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/02/limbaugh_at_cpac.php
The latest schedule for the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C. late February: Possible presidential candidates include Rep. Paul Ryan (WI), speaking Thursday, Rep. Mike Pence (IN), speaking Thursday -- he's invited, not confirmed -- Gov. Mike Huckabee, on Thursday, Gov. Sarah Palin, on Thursday -- invited, not confirmed, and Rep. John Shadegg (AZ). On Friday, Sen. John Cornyn speaks in the early morning; Newt Gingrich hosts a screening of a movie about Ronald Reagan. Ron Paul and Mitt Romney speak in the afternoon. On Saturday, Rick Santorum begins the day and Gov. Tim Palwenty is an invites speaker. The lovely Ann Coulter speaks at noon. And Rush Limbaugh finishes the conference.

Republicans still dominate the air waves

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/06/senate-cable-stimulus-debate/

Paying the price of the Bush years

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090206/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/bailout_oversight
[AP] The Bush administration overpaid tens of billions of dollars for stocks and other assets in its massive bailout last year of Wall Street banks and financial institutions, a new study by a government watchdog says.

The Congressional Oversight Panel, in a report released Friday, said last year's overpayments amounted to a taxpayer-financed $78 billion subsidy of the firms. . . .

CIA officers safe. But what about their enablers in the DOJ?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/02/panetta_no_prosecution_for_cia_interrogators.php
The Obama administration will not prosecute CIA officers who participated in harsh interrogations that critics say crossed the line into torture, CIA Director-nominee Leon Panetta said Friday. . . .

It was the clearest statement yet on what Panetta and other Democratic officials had only strongly suggested: CIA officers who acted on legal orders from the Bush administration would not be held responsible for those policies. . . .

"It was my opinion we just can't operate if people feel even if they are following the legal opinions of the Justice Department" they could be in danger of prosecution, he said.

Panetta demurred on saying whether the Obama administration would take legal action against those who authorized or wrote the legal opinions that, for a time, set an extremely high legal bar for an action to constitute torture.

"I'll leave that for others," Panetta said.

More Bush burrowers – this time, at the Pentagon

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/feinstein-wants-pentagon-investigation-of-alleged-gitmo-burrowers.php
[Elana Schor] Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) thinks she's uncovered a similar situation at the Pentagon's Office of Detainee Affairs, where former Bushies are still involved in politically sensitive debates over the Guantanamo Bay prison. Feinstein wrote to Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday seeking an inquiry into whether two political appointees "have been improperly converted to career positions within the Department of Defense." . . .

How Michael Steele, first African-American head of the GOP, made his career by duping and betraying blacks

http://firedoglake.com/2009/02/06/nerve-of-steele/

Trouble? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/06/AR2009020604151.html
Michael S. Steele, the newly elected chairman of the Republican National Committee, arranged for his 2006 Senate campaign to pay a defunct company run by his sister for services that were never performed, his finance chairman from that campaign has told federal prosecutors. . . .

Please, make it stop

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/norm_norm_norm.php
[David Kurtz] The Coleman campaign has been nothing if not inconsistent during the three-month post-election saga in Minnesota, but nothing quite beats asking the court to now count ballots that the Coleman campaign itself succeeded in getting thrown out just a few weeks ago.

Late Update: Alas, the Coleman campaign has announced that two previously uncounted ballots were found by an election official in one county. It will never end.

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

GETTING SERIOUS

Obama gets serious about the stimulus bill

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/2/5/231628/4426
'The Time for Action is Now'



The Republicans as Nero

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/robert_reich/2009/02/senate-republicans-and-the-sti.php
Senate Republicans and the Stimulus: Playing Politics When the Economy Burns
[Robert Reich] Regardless of your ideological stripe, you've got to see that when consumers and businesses stop spending and investing, there's only entity left to step into the breach. It's government. Major increases in government spending are necessary, and the spending must be on a very large scale. . .

http://www.americablog.com/2009/02/while-republicans-fiddle-american.html
While Republicans fiddle, the American economy is burning down . . .

Unserious

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/a_turning_tide.php
[Josh Marshall] This week, out on the broad wastes of cable news drekdom and the uplands of Beltway journalistic drivel, a simple fact has gone almost entirely unreported: virtually everything congressional Republicans are saying about the Stimulus Bill wouldn't cut it in remedial economics. . . . [read on]

How bad is it?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/tpmtv_4.php
[David Kurtz] In the second part of my interview with economist Dean Baker, we talk about the fact that a significant portion of the banking industry is already insolvent and that a much larger portion will be broke before the end of the year. Any discussion of nationalization -- or any denial that we're nationalizing the banks -- needs to start with the premise that if you're not going to let the banks declare bankruptcy then you're nationalizing them at some level. . . .

The Vote: an update

Early Thursday: http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11386
[The Hill] Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters Thursday that he has enough votes to pass a more than $900 billion stimulus bill out of the Senate.

Reid said he believes at least two Republicans of "good will" would support the Democratic-crafted package.

"Do we have the votes? We believe we do," said Reid, who expects a final vote on the package will be held on Thursday. . . .

Later: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=6811948&page=1
As the Senate inched toward a final vote on the $900 billion economic stimulus package, tempers flared on the Senate floor: Republicans said bipartisanship had evaporated and they are being railroaded. Democrats accused Republicans of obstruction. . . .

Moderates from both parties have been trying to hammer out a compromise, but sources tell ABC News there is almost zero chance of the Senate reaching a final vote tonight. . . .

The latest: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/02/05/no_stimulus_tonight/index.html
The Senate has just called it a night.

There's still no deal to move to a final vote on an economic stimulus bill that's now grown to about $900 billion, despite increasing pressure from the Obama administration. But lawmakers seem to think a bipartisan group of moderates can hash something out Friday that will pass the Senate more easily than the Democratic bill that's on the floor.

"We're going to stop legislating tonight and come back tomorrow," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada announced on the floor of the Senate a little before 9 p.m. "The main reason I look forward to tomorrow is because there are a number of Democratic senators working with Republican senators... We all need to take a look at the work done by the negotiators." . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/6/03026/32963/829/693800
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called off any Thursday night vote on the American Recovery and Investment Act - the Jobs Bill colloquially known as the stimulus package - for one good reason: He doesn't yet have the votes.

He hopes to have them Friday. And if that doesn't happen, he'll call for a procedural vote on Sunday. That would require 60 Senators to say "aye." . . .

State spending is a critical part of the stimulus package

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11387

So is spending for education

http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/3476

Boxer vs Graham. Don’t miss it

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/stimulus_smackdown.php

More: http://firedoglake.com/2009/02/05/harry-reid-says-hes-got-the-votes-for-stimulus-bill-lindsey-graham-throws-hissy-fit/
"This process stinks," Graham told FOX News, before repeating a lot of his criticisms on the Senate floor. "We're making this up as we go and it is a waste of money. It is a broken process, and the president, as far as I'm concerned, has been AWOL on providing leadership on something as important as this." . . .

"Scaring people is not leadership. Writing an editorial that if you don't pass this bad bill we're going to have disaster -- we've had enough presidents trying to scare people to make bad decisions," Graham said. . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/5/141534/1159/1018/693603
[SusanG] This from the guy who for eight years served as the background chorus for the most fear-mongering administration ever ("mushroom clouds!" "dirty bombs!" "WMD's!")

The strange politics of “bipartisanship”

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/whos-he-listening-to-by-digby-greg.html

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/02/bipartisan_folly.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/5/17366/60541/922/693699

Karl Rove: making trouble, as usual

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123379742941850311.html
Democrats are betting that Americans now embrace centralized, top-down government and are willing to pay for it. They are wrong and will suffer politically for their misjudgment.

Republicans are right, both substantively and politically, to oppose this monstrosity and smart to offer a bold alternative. The GOP's road back is about to be partly paved by Mr. Obama's embrace of Democratic trickle-down economics. It's terrible policy -- but for Republicans, it provides an opportunity for sharp contrasts that can reset the debate on more favorable terms for the GOP. . . .

Why Panetta will be good for the CIA

http://washingtonindependent.com/29193/cia-v-foia

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016771.php

Republicans block Obama’s Labor Sect’y for being pro-labor

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/02/hilda_solis_1.html

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/02/solis_wont_recuse_herself_from_card_check.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/5/144923/7364/996/693617

Post-partisan? http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/enzi-solis-isnt-going-anywhere-for-now.php

Maybe they want to keep Bush’s Labor Sect’y: http://www.americablog.com/2009/02/republicans-dont-want-obamas-labor.html
Mitch McConnell's wife . . .

Labor fights back: http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/02/labor_to_fight_back_on_solis.php

One vote

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/2/5/144132/5045
Today, the Franken campaign asked the Minnesota Supreme Court to certify the election of Franken provisionally until former Senator Coleman's litigation can play out. . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/minnesota-supreme-court-hearing-they-can-certify-franken-nowor-wait-months.php
[Eric Kleefeld] The Minnesota Supreme Court just finished hearing arguments in Al Franken's lawsuit to obtain an immediate certificate of election, and it has become clear that the court faces a very tough choice: Issue an election certificate now, which would have a theoretical chance of being undone later by pending litigation, and to do so against the commonly-understood meaning of state statutes -- or have Minnesota go without two seats in the Senate for months. . . .

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/2/5/144132/5045
[Star-Tribune] Franken's lawyer, Marc Elias, urged the state's highest court during arguments today in St. Paul not to leave one of the state's two Senate seats empty while "the nation faces questions of war and peace."

"I see by the newspapers that a stimulus package may be decided by one vote," Elias told the court.

[Todd Beeton] Which brings us to Coleman's ultimate strategy here. He knows the chances of winning this thing are next to nil. At this point, he's just trying to obstruct President Obama's agenda, which, actually one vote in the Senate does make a difference.

A losing Democrat in 2010?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/5/94252/61556/154/693450

A primer on media bias

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/02/05/bias/index.html

Bonus item: GOP compares itself with the Taliban (really!)

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016759.php

http://washingtonindependent.com/29244/now-that-the-gop-is-modeled-on-the-taliban

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

THE UNDEAD

Have you ever seen an outgoing administration actively and directly undermining their successor within days of transferring power?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/cheney-i-worry-when-washington-cares-more-about-terrorists-rights-than-protecting-america.php
Dick Cheney: The Next Terrorist Attack Will Be Obama's Fault . . .

More: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/18390.html
Former Vice President Dick Cheney warned that there is a “high probability” that terrorists will attempt a catastrophic nuclear or biological attack in coming years, and said he fears the Obama administration’s policies will make it more likely the attempt will succeed.

In an interview Tuesday with Politico, Cheney unyieldingly defended the Bush administration’s support for the Guantanamo Bay prison and coercive interrogation of terrorism suspects.

And he asserted that President Obama will either backtrack on his stated intentions to end those policies or put the country at risk in ways more severe than most Americans—and, he charged, many members of Obama’s own team — understand.

“When we get people who are more concerned about reading the rights to an Al Qaeda terrorist than they are with protecting the United States against people who are absolutely committed to do anything they can to kill Americans, then I worry,” Cheney said.

Protecting the country’s security is “a tough, mean, dirty, nasty business,” he said. “These are evil people. . . .”

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/todays_gop_hoping_for_the_worst.php
[David Kurtz] It occurred to me while reading Politico's interview with Dick Cheney, that the GOP's plan to regain political viability in the short term rests on two disaster scenarios: the failure of the financial rescue efforts (stimulus, TARP, and other bailouts) to stave off complete economic collapse and a new mass casualty terrorist attack -- both of which they are positioning themselves to blame Obama for.

Without one of those two, they have to figure it's going to be a long time wandering in the political wilderness. Now think about the curdling effect, the blight on the soul that comes with rooting for such disasters to befall your country. The rot is now eating at the party's very core.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/4/163342/4589/454/693142
[BarbinMD] It's not clear why Politico chose to give this political has-been a platform to spew his venom, unless it was to further burnish their Drudge-lite reputation . . .

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/04/various_items/index.html
[Glenn Greenwald] Dick Cheney gave a 90-minute interview to The Politico's John Harris, Mike Allen and Jim Vandhei that provides probably the most explicit expression of the warped mentality that drove the country over the last eight years. The fear-mongering and false claims are far too numerous to chronicle here. . . .

http://washingtonindependent.com/28874/dick-cheney-is-a-liar
[Spencer Ackerman] Barely two weeks out of office and former Vice President Dick Cheney is already mongering fear. Unsurprisingly, it’s about Guantanamo Bay, where he says that generic Democrats — he intimates that he means President Obama, but he’s too much of a coward to say the man’s name — are “more concerned about reading the rights to an Al Qaeda terrorist than they are with protecting the United States against people who are absolutely committed to do anything they can to kill Americans.” Get used to this sort of thing. . . .

http://firedoglake.com/2009/02/04/after-biting-the-heads-off-kittens-for-the-past-eight-years/
[Watertiger] Two weeks out of office, and Dick Cheney is back on the scene, doing what he does best: willing death and destruction upon the people of the United States. . . .

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/02/04/fellatio-for-cheney-from-the-politico/

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/02/04/the-only-picture-on-dicks-wall/

Has Obama made a mistake in promoting bipartisanship with an opposing party that clearly has no intention whatsoever in working with him?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/our_highest_priority.php
[Theda Skocpol] Obama is, sadly, much to blame for giving the Republicans so much leverage. He defined the challenge as biparitsanship not saving the U.S. economy. Right now, he has only one chance to re-set this deteriorating debate: He needs to give a major speech on the economy, explain to Americans what is happening and what must be done. People will, as of now, still listen to him -- and what else is his political capital for?

Speaking as a strong Obama supporter who put my energies and money into it, I am now very disillusioned with him. He spent the last two weeks empowering Republicans -- including negotiating with them to get more into Senate and his administration and giving them virtual veto-power over his agenda . . . [read on]

http://www.americablog.com/2009/02/senate-cant-pass-stimulus-republicans.html
[WP] Republicans have become resolute in their opposition . . .

http://www.americablog.com/2009/02/krugman-on-efforts-to-get.html
[Paul Krugman] “There is no middle ground” [read on]

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/4/143652/7020/520/693084

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/making-argument-by-dday-i-cant-argue-at.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016744.php

Simple truths from Atrios: http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009_02_01_archive.html#1868339957236861176

Changing the debate

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/dire_news.php
[Josh Marshall] Behind all the back and forth over the Stimulus Bill is a simple fact: the debate in Washington is rapidly moving away from any recognition that the US economy -- and the global economy, for that matter -- is in free-fall. The range of outcomes stretches from severe recession to something closer to a replay of the Great Depression, though that label is perhaps better seen as a placeholder for 'catastrophic economic collapse' since the underlying place of the US economy in the world economy is very different from what it was in 1929. This reality was palpable in the political debate until as recently as a few weeks ago. But Republicans are using a strategy of conscious denial to push it off the stage. . . .

What you can do: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/shouting-down-wingnuts-by-digby-wingnut.html

The Repubs push a poll result showing the public has grown skeptical about the stimulus bill

http://washingtonindependent.com/28957/house-republicans-are-liking-rasmussen

Don’t believe it: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/02/04/senate_stimulus/index.html

Don’t count Obama out yet

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/4/115211/5372/609/692979
[Jed L] President Obama's announcement of executive pay caps earlier today wasn't just notable for his new policy on compensation -- it was also the first time since the election that he's given Republicans a dose of what they've been dishing out on a daily basis.

The President's remarks were more of a warning than open political warfare, but he did remind GOPers that the economic theories they are fighting for have been tested over the last eight years, and that they have failed. President Obama reminded Republicans that it wasn't just his opinion that their ideas have failed -- it was also the opinion of the American public, who on November 4th soundly rejected the conservative dogma.

It was the first time that President Obama invoked the results of the election in a public setting, and it was clearly intended as a reminder to Republican obstructionists that when they block progress on economic recovery, they are not only are they playing with the nation's welfare, they are also toying with their own political welfare.

Without saying it in so many words, he made it clear that if Republicans think he's going to roll over and not put up a fight, they are sorely mistaken. . . . [read on]

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/his_real_constituency.php
[A TPM reader] I don't share the sense of panic expressed by some Obama supporters over his approach to the stimulus package. If the campaign taught us anything, it's that Obama is willing to invest in strategies that only yield dividends in the long term. I suspect his careful cultivation of the GOP side of the aisle is closely akin to his caucus strategy; it may require a lot of time and effort before it produces a payoff, but if he can pick off votes and limit rancor, it will be well worth the investment. . . . [read on]

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/better-by-dday-this-is-what-needs-to-be.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016752.php

Hardball time? http://www.samefacts.com/archives/stimulus_/2009/02/hardball_time_ditch_the_stimulus.php

The GOP alternative

http://washingtonindependent.com/29076/its-all-part-of-my-stimulus-fantasy
o Permanently repeal the alternative minimum tax once and for all;
o Permanently keep the capital gains and dividends taxes at 15 percent;
o Permanently kill the Death Tax for estates under $5 million, and cut the tax rate to 15 percent for those above;
o Permanently extend the $1,000-per-child tax credit;
o Permanently repeal the marriage tax penalty;
o Permanently simplify itemized deductions to include only home mortgage interest and charitable contributions.
o Lower top marginal income rates from 35 percent to 25 percent.
o Simplify the tax code to include only two other brackets, 15 and 10 percent.
o Lower corporate tax rate as well, from 35 percent to 25 percent.

Judd Gregg says thank you to Obama by abstaining on stimulus bill

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016746.php
In this case, not voting is practically the same as voting against. . . .

Thanks for nothing: http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/2/5/43140/86740

No one’s noticing this except the bloggers, but Obama’s Labor Sect’y is being quietly blocked by the Republicans

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/02/solis_lingers_acting_secretary_appointed.php

Leon Panetta’s confirmation hearings as head of the CIA: what to expect

http://washingtonindependent.com/29037/leon-panetta

Federal grand jury investigating Pete Domenici and Bush admin for obstruction of justice in US Attorney firings. Somebody’s in big trouble

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/grand_jury_investigation_of_us_attorney_firings_fo.php

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/02/04/theyre-close-to-domenici-are-they-close-to-bush/

Blasting the SEC for its failures in the Madoff scandal

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/lawmaker_to_sec_lawyer_we_thought_the_enemy_was_mr.php

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/whistleblower_slams_secs_ineptitude_and_financial.php

Executive privilege??!!?? http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11366

GREAT point

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/3/13118/54490/86/692493
Someone should make the point that the theory on which Daschle did not pay taxes on an extraordinary non-salary benefit provided by his employer (car and driver) is exactly the theory on which Palin did not pay taxes on an extraordinary benefit (free air travel for her children, and 60 dollar per day per diem payments for use of her own house).

Palin never paid back taxes but simply produced a squirrelly letter from her lawyers saying that someone could believe in good faith that taxes were not owed on the travel or per diems she received, so her failure to report those items as income was excusable. . . .

Norm Coleman: forged ballots? Count’ em anyway

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/still_working_that_constituency.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/coleman-attorney-alleges-voter-committed-forgery----and-wants-ballot-counted.php

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/coleman-lawyer-its-the-dems-fault-that-minnesota-has-one-senator.php
Coleman Lawyer: It's The Dems' Fault That Minnesota Has One Senator . . .

The best and the brightest

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/joe-the-plumber-hits-the-capitol-to-meet-with-gopers.php
Joe The Plumber Summoned To Capitol To Advise GOP On Stimulus . . .

http://firedoglake.com/2009/02/04/joe-the-plumber-unveils-cut-bills-kick-ass-economic-recovery-plan-to-republican-staffers/
Joe The Plumber Unveils “Cut Bills, Kick Ass” Economic Recovery Plan To Republican Staffers . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016747.php

Rush Limbaugh’s 20% is a huge audience in radio terms, and a mere afterthought in political terms -- unless you're a Republican dependent on them

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/feb/04/obama-administration-limbaugh-popularity

Bonus item: Separated at birth? Gonzo and Blago

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/gonzales_recession_to_blame_for_me_not_finding_job.php
Gonzales: Recession to Blame for Me Not Finding Job . . .



http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/02/04/blago_letterman/index.html



http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5659623.ece
Asked what he planned to do with his time now, the former governor joked: "Well, I'm looking for work. Are you hiring?"

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

A SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE

Well, Obama has been President for two weeks. Time to call him a failure

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/03/AR2009020304024.html
Senate Lacks Votes to Pass Stimulus . . .

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/03/AR2009020303310.html
Administration Is Described as Being at a Loss . . .

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/03/AR2009020304112.html
Obama Says He Erred in Nominations . . .

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/03/AR2009020303456.html
Is Obama’s Honeymoon Over? . . . .

Tom Daschle out as HHS nominee and Health Care Czar, along with another key Obama appointment. I’m not troubled by people making goofs in their taxes – I have a big problem with their not revealing it during the vetting process

Why he quit: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/why-daschle-quit-and-whos-next.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/axelrod-daschle-made-the-decision-to-withdraw-this-morning.php

The NYT: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/feb/03/obama-white-house-daschle

More: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/02/obama_performance_chief_killefer_out_citing_taxes_1.php
[AP] Nancy Killefer withdrew her candidacy to be the first chief performance officer for the federal government on Tuesday, saying she didn't want her bungling of payroll taxes on her household help to become a distraction for the Obama administration. . . .

Ah, Tom, shoulda kept the Pontiac

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/3/124111/1638/123/692464

The Senate stimulus bill: what’s in it

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/02/the_senates_stimulus_and_the_cbo.php

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11341

The Republicans have played this pretty shrewdly. Here is their list of “wasteful” programs in the bill. There’s only one problem . . .

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/02/gop.stimulus.worries/index.html

http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/3424
[Scarecrow] But if this list, which only adds up to about 2 percent of the total, is all the Republican are complaining about, then the rest of the stimulus package must be pretty good. . . . [read on]

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016733.php

The GOP thinks you’re stupid

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/painfully_stupid.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016731.php

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/thune_stacking_basis.php

The media helps

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/its_the_stupid_stupid.php
[Josh Marshall] [T]here also shouldn't be much question why Republicans are having such a field day spreading disinformation and simple nonsense about this bill. We've heard virtually nothing over the last couple weeks about the big issue, which is that the economy is in severe free-fall because of a once-in-a-century financial crisis. And because of that, the federal government needs to step in with big short term spending to create jobs to see us through the crisis. Those jobs are needed in the short-term to prevent unemployment from getting out of hand and in the longer term to reshape the economy so that we're not dependent on recurrent bubbles to keep the economy afloat. This is an emergency jobs bill. And it costs a lot of money because we're in a deep crisis. But this basic point has disappeared almost entirely from the public debate.

ThinkProgress has admirably demonstrated that the cable networks continue to tip the scales in favor of Republicans by booking like twice or even three times as many Republicans as Democrats to discuss the Stimulus Bill. But that only tells us what we already know . . . [read on]

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/more_on_mitchs_millions.php
[BD] I don't think there's any question now - the Republicans are building up as intense an offense as they can to permanently damage Obama and the Democrats in Congress. Looking over all the stories - Republicans uniting against the stimulus bill, McCain joining in, the piling on against Daschle, the insistance that "bipartisanship" means Democratic capitulation - it's clear they want to hurt the Dems as critically as possible. . . . [read on]

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/02/is_the_white_house_losing_the_stim_spin_wars.php
Is The White House Losing The Stim Spin Wars? . . .

McCain struggles to remain relevant

http://washingtonindependent.com/28738/mccain-calls-on-supporters-to-oppose-stimulus
President Obama garnered headlines Friday, when he used his massive email list from the campaign to promote his legislative agenda for the first time, in support of the stimulus package working its way through Congress.

Not to be outdone, Obama’s former rival, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) today put his considerably smaller list to work, with an email blast encouraging supporters to sign a petition opposing the stimulus. . . .

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/mccain-sends-out-e-mail-petition-against-stimulus-bill.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016732.php
[Steve Benen] It's hard to guess which of John McCain's personas is going to emerge at any given time . . . [read on]

It’s always DEMOCRATIC “partisanship,” not Republican . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/3/114616/9097/155/692432

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/2/3/134619/3862

Against infrastructure

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016734.php
SENATE GOP BLOCKS ADDED INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT.... It got 58 votes, when proponents needed 60. . . . [read on]

Why Obama will win . . .

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/sad-and-beautiful-by-digby-this-is.html
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, Charlie, if you take a look at the bill, the fact is, there are no earmarks in this bill, which, by the way, some of the critics can't claim for legislation they've voted for over the last eight years. There's no earmarks in it. We've made sure that there aren't individual pork projects in there.

The criticisms have generally been around some policy initiatives that were placed in the bill that I think are actually good policy, but some people may say is not going to actually stimulate jobs quickly enough. I think that there's legitimate room for working through those issues over the next several weeks to make sure that we get the best possible bill. But here's the thing that I think we have to understand. The economy is in desperate straits. What I won't do is adopt the same economic theories that helped land us in the worst economy since the Great Depression. What I will do is work with anybody of good faith to make sure that we can come up with the best possible package to not only create jobs and provide support to families, but also to lay the groundwork for long-term economic growth. . . .

A stimulus primer

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/stimulus_/2009/02/a_stimulus_primer.php

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/stimulus_/2009/02/what_marks_stimulus_primer_glosses_over.php

The “cut” in defense spending. We all know how this goes – when it’s your ox being gored, you describe a reduced INCREASE as a “cut”

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/03/kagan/index.html

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/3/11407/58150/150/692429

Would you take a job for $500,000 a year?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/business/04pay.html
The Obama administration is expected to impose a cap of $500,000 for top executives at companies that receive large amounts of bailout money. . .

Executives would also be prohibited from receiving any bonuses above their base pay, except for normal stock dividends.

The Employee Free Choice Act is all about re-empowering unions in this country. The GOP, having fought for 25 years to kill them, won’t give up this fight easily

http://www.americablog.com/2009/02/big-surprise-corporate-media-isnt.html

Judd Gregg in as Commerce nominee. One little problem . . .

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/02/03/gregg_voted_to_abolish_commerce_department.html
Gregg Voted to Abolish Commerce Department . . .

Is there an organized military push-back against Obama’s Iraq withdrawal plans? And if so, who is doing the organizing?

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/02/03/is-cheney-behind-the-attack-on-obamas-plans-to-withdraw-from-iraq/

Good news

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100147494&sc=emaf
On Monday, the Justice Department undid a small part of the damage that top officials caused in a scandal of politicized hiring and firing during the Bush administration. The department rehired an attorney who was improperly removed from her job because she was rumored to be a lesbian.

NPR first broke the story of Leslie Hagen's dismissal last April. . . .

As NPR reported in April, a top aide to the attorney general had heard a rumor that Hagen was a lesbian. Discrimination based on sexual orientation is against Justice Department rules. But Monica Goodling, senior counsel to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, had Hagen removed from her job anyway. . . .

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/02/03/margaret-chiaras-falsely-accused-lover-re-hired/

Norm Coleman is eventually going to lose his court fight over the Minnesota election, but he’s winning at one thing – keeping Franken and his key Democratic vote out of the Senate for as long as possible. 4500 ballots to be litigated, one by one . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/minnesota-election-court-denies-coleman-motion-to-count-4500-ballots.php
[Eric Kleefeld] The Minnesota election court has just handed down a major ruling, completely denying Norm Coleman's motion for summary judgment that would have opened up and counted a set of roughly 4,500 rejected absentee ballots . . .

The upshot of the two decisions is that Coleman may argue on behalf of these voters, but there is no guarantee that they'll be counted. Instead, he'll need to argue for them one by one. And of course, the Franken campaign will have a full opportunity to cross-examine Coleman's witnesses -- many of whom have demonstrated that they in fact committed clear errors in filling out their ballots -- and to also play this same game down the road. . . .

Although it doesn't guarantee that any votes will or won't be counted, we can safely predict one thing: This is going to take a long time. . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/coleman-lawyer-gets-called-out-on-evidence----by-judge.php
Coleman Lawyer Gets Called Out On Evidence -- By Judge . . .



Bonus item: The photos you never saw

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/devastated-by-digby-ive-been-meaning-to.html

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

IN THE WILDERNESS

One of the worst hypocrisies of the Bush administration was their posturing, “We do not torture” (not true, anyhow), while outsourcing prisoners to other countries to do their torturing for them – so called “extraordinary rendition.” A weekend story in the Los Angeles Times seemed to suggest that the Obama administration was maintaining the same policy – highly disturbing if true. But, not so fast

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/02/renditions/index.html
[Glenn Greenwald] The L.A. Times article is wildly exaggerated and plainly inaccurate. Harper's Scott Horton and The Washington Monthly's Hilzoy have typically thorough explanations as to why that is the case. Anyone with any doubts should read both of their commentaries. Suffice to say, the objections to the Bush "extraordinary rendition" program were that "rendered" individuals were abducted and then either (a) sent to countries where they would likely be tortured and/or (b) disappeared into secret U.S. camps ("black sites") or sent to Guantanamo and accorded no legal process of any kind. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that Obama will continue any of that . . . [read on]

More: http://washingtonindependent.com/28578/did-obama-really-create-a-loophole-for-rendition

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/punkd-part-vii-by-digby-this-time-it.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016721.php

On a related topic . . .

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/02/02/conyers-invokes-the-cia-inspector-general-report-on-torture/
[Emptywheel] In a HuffPo column arguing for a Commission to look into Bush era crimes, John Conyers mentions something people on the Hill rarely talk about: the 2004 CIA Inspector General report on torture. . . . [read on]

We finally have an Attorney General

http://www.propublica.org/article/ag-nominee-holder-suggests-secret-memos-may-be-released-090202#7787
[Eric Umansky] Last week, we published the first comprehensive list of the Bush administration's still-secret legal memos on torture, detention and warrantless wiretapping. There are far more secret memos than had been previously understood.

When we asked a Department of Justice spokesperson when or whether the memos will be released, he declined to comment. . . .

But as the Federation of American Scientists' Steven Aftergood noticed earlier today, attorney general nominee Eric Holder said in a written response to questions from Sen. Russ Feingold that change may be coming . . . [read on]

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/02/02/holder-on-state-secrets/

General Petraeus tries to convince Obama to back off his troop withdrawal promise, and fails

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/man-called-petraeus-storms-white-house.html

Counting votes in the Senate for the stimulus package

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11304

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/2/122258/0397/548/692031

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/feb/02/obama-white-house-congress

Filibuster? http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/02/reconciliation.html
[Kevin Drum] If Republicans really did put up a united front and filibuster the legislation, the Democratic leadership would just turn around and consider the bill under budget reconciliation rules, which require only a majority vote to pass. Sure, they've already said they'd prefer not to do that, but if they have to they will. And since the bill is all about short-term spending, it would obviously qualify under reconciliation rules.

So all the public handwringing seems like standard DC negotiating kabuki to me, not a genuine effort to kill the bill. If Republicans filibuster, the public will view them as bitter obstructionists and the bill will pass anyway. It's hard to see what's in it for them to go down this road.

A major debate over the stimulus package is how quickly its spending will have an impact – pretty quickly, it turns out

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2009/02/02/how-quickly-will-the-stimulus-kick-in.aspx

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/cbo-report-debunks-gops-stimulus-talking-point.php

The stupid things Republicans say

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/make_a_list.php
[Jim DeMint, R-SC] "Not a Stimulus bill. It's just a spending bill." [read on]

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/straight_outta_hooverville.php
[RNC Chair Michael Steele] "Not in the history of mankind has the government ever created a job." [read on]

This is a big story around these parts: the Bush admin held a competition to decide where to build a state-of-the-art clean coal plant – a big $2 billion project. Going by the Dept of Energy criteria, the choice came down to a spot here in downstate Illinois, and one in Texas. When an independent panel chose the Illinois location, the Bush admin instantly pulled the money (duh). Now that program could be back in the stimulus bill

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/is-the-futuregen-clean-coal-project-back-in-the-stimulus-bill.php

It’s official: Judd Gregg will be replaced by a NH Republican when he takes Sect’y of Commerce – maybe his Chief of Staff

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/gregg-confirms-it-gop-senate-appointment-is-a-condition-for-accepting-cabinet-post.php

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/02/02/obama_picks_gregg_for_commerce.html

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/2/15624/51008/482/692089

The Gregg appointment, and the stimulus package

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/2/3/0331/68429

Why Commerce Sect’y matters

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11324

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11314

Another Republican to step down?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/report-martinez-could-leave-senate-early----could-crist-get-in.php

Circling the wagons to protect Tom Daschle

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/us/politics/01daschle.html
President Obama’s choice for health secretary, Tom Daschle, was aware as early as last June that he might have to pay back taxes for the use of a car and driver provided by a private equity firm, but did not inform the Obama transition team until weeks after Mr. Obama named him to the health secretary’s post, senior administration officials said Saturday. . . .

http://www.slate.com/id/2210336
Why Daschle's tax sins are worse than Geithner's. . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/dems-circle-the-wagons-for-daschle.php
Dems Circle the Wagons . . .

How the insiders view things

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/03/dole/index.html
Bob Dole's perfect description of how Washington works . . . [read on]

I’ll believe it when I see it

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/attorney_rove_will_cooperate_with_doj_probes.php
Attorney: Rove Will Cooperate With DOJ Probes . . . [read on]

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/02/02/grand-jury-getting-closer-to-rove/

The latest ploy from Norm Coleman – you’ll love this one

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/new_coleman_angle.php
[Josh Marshall] Fmr. Sen. Coleman's lawyer appears to be laying the groundwork for arguing that Al Franken's margin of victory is smaller than the inherent margin of error in the election contest itself. Ergo, the margin's so close they need to scrap Al's win and hold a completely new election.

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/2/175428/4025/407/692172

The Party of Palin

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/poll-republicans-want-party-to-be-like-palin.php
A new Rasmussen poll further demonstrates that the GOP could be in for a long stretch in the wilderness . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016714.php

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/2/2/22224/20739

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/2/152625/2446/489/692098


Bonus item: Buy yours now – on black velvet!

http://firedoglake.com/2009/02/02/its-all-downhill-for-civilization-from-this-point/

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/2/201356/8624/357/692222
Fresh off his stint as a war correspondent in Gaza, Joe the Plumber is now doing political strategy with Republicans. . .

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

THE WILL OF THE VILLAGERS

Yesterday it looked as if Tom Daschle was going to have to withdraw as nominee for Sect’y of HHS because of his tax problems. I guess I underestimated the good will extended to him as a member of The Club

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/31/AR2009013101891.html
As he ducked into the Capitol late Monday evening, Thomas A. Daschle ran into one of his closest friends, Sen. Tom Harkin (D), the populist from Iowa who had just voted against Timothy F. Geithner's confirmation as Treasury secretary because he could not forgive his failure to pay taxes he owed. . .

Harkin has not spoken about Daschle's tax controversy, but yesterday other friends of the nominee began a campaign to defend him. . . .

Daschle has become a major financial backer of Democratic campaigns. Last year he wrote more than $40,000 worth of personal checks to benefit Senate candidates. He and his wife, Linda Hall Daschle, donated over the past two years to at least 14 senators who will be tasked with voting on his confirmation.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=adZnOpr2wfLA
Thomas A. Daschle, the former U.S. senator picked to be President Barack Obama’s Health and Human Services secretary, will meet privately with the Senate Finance Committee to discuss his belated payment last month of back taxes and interest totaling more than $140,000. . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016701.php

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/2/1/115718/8250

Looks as if Judd Gregg (R-NH) will be appointed Sect’y of Commerce AND a Republican will be appointed to replace him

http://firedoglake.com/2009/02/01/lynch-considering-republican-elizabeth-hager-to-replace-gregg/

Yes, there IS a difference between the parties. Barney Frank (D-MA) reminds us in a classic exchange with Jim DeMint (R-SC)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSw3QqSF_zU



More: http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/2/1/194257/3038

http://firedoglake.com/2009/02/01/on-this-week-jim-demint-gets-his-ass-handed-to-him-by-entire-panel-on-stimulus-bill/

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/loss-of-control-by-digby-village-elder.html

http://firedoglake.com/2009/02/01/newsflash-ronald-reagan-raised-taxes-you-idiots/

Mitch McConnell, minority leader in the Senate, has been pushing the media to adopt the narrative that every bill needs 60 votes to pass. Don’t call it a “filibuster”

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/2/1/141734/6311

The pundits are working very hard to keep the GOP relevant on the economy – while the GOP is working very hard to make itself utterly irrelevant

http://www.americablog.com/2009/02/republicans-have-zero-ideas-on-economy.html

Where does Sarah Palin stand on the stimulus package?

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11269
[Short answer: “Gimme!”]

Heh: http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/02/01/palin_stiffs_house_republicans.html
[Taegan Goddard] Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) "politely declined" an invitation by House Republicans to give a speech at their annual conference this weekend . . .

When asked about Palin's no-show, House Republican leader John Boehner shrugged, saying, "Whatever."

Another leading Republican in Congress steps down

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/1/112023/7044/918/691661
U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam says he will give up his seat in Congress to become a candidate for state agriculture commissioner. . . .

Michael Steele – gonna be fun

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,486395,00.html
WALLACE: You are one of the co-founders of something called the Republican Leadership Council . . ‘ which supports candidates who favor abortion and gay rights.

STEELE: Yep.

WALLACE: Does the GOP need to do a better job of reaching out to people who hold those views?

STEELE: I think — I think that's an important opportunity for us, absolutely, because within our party we do have those who have that view as well as outside. . . . I'm a pro-life Roman Catholic conservative, always have been.

WALLACE: You also support a constitutional amendment against gay marriage.

STEELE: That's right. And the reality of it is this, because I don't think we should muck around with the Constitution. We can deal with that at the state level, OK? That's my personal view.

[NB: So, does he support a constitutional amendment, or not?]

What is Obama going to do about Afghanistan?

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/villagers-let-their-freak-flag-fly-by.html

Gender discrimination in the workplace? Oh, that’s SO 1970’s

http://firedoglake.com/2009/02/01/shorter-michelle-barnard-women-bring-home-less-moolah-so/

Glenn Beck’s Greatest Hits

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/016700.php

Bonus item: Some people should not try to make jokes

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/01/lieberman-alfalfa-dinner/
At last night’s black-tie dinner at Washington’s Alfalfa Club, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) couldn’t resist cracking a joke about torture. Politico’s Mike Allen reports:

More from Senator Lieberman: ‘We had hoped Vice President Cheney would be here tonight. I hope it’s not his back injury that’s keeping him away. Apparently, he hurt it moving some things out of his office. Personally, I had no idea that waterboards were so heavy.

Last year, Lieberman, who has voted against banning waterboarding, “reluctantly acknowledged” that he doesn’t believe that waterboarding is torture. “It is not like putting burning coals on people’s bodies. The person is in no real danger. The impact is psychological,” he said.

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/tortured-comedy-by-digby-our-political.html

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

PREPARE FOR THE BEST, HOPE FOR THE WORST

The Republicans keep whistling in the dark

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18238.html
[Patrick O’Connor] For the first time in eight years, Republicans held their annual retreat without a visit from the president.

But that didn’t dampen the mood at The Homestead Resort, where House lawmakers retired for three days to plot their path out of the wilderness. . . .

“Look at these faces,” said California Rep. Kevin O. McCarthy, pointing to a roomful of Republicans and their families during a dinner in one of the resort’s expansive ballrooms. “They’re all smiling. You’d think these people are still in the majority.” . . .

“We’re more unified than I’ve seen in four or five years,” said California Rep. Dan Lungren, who challenged Republican Leader John A. Boehner of Ohio late last year. “It has to do with being surrounded.” . . .

Newly elected Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele addressed the convention on Saturday, and offered a partisan rallying call in praise of the House's unanimous vote last week against the massive economic stimulus plan authored by Democrats:

"I know we’re living in the era of bipartisanship…I thought it was very important to send a signal, and you sent it loudly, very clearly, that this party, the leadership of this caucus, would stand first and foremost with the American people. You made it very clear that in order to grow through this recession that you not redistribute the wealth of the people of this nation."

His remarks were in line with the core message most speakers have offered this weekend: That the party should return to a back-to-basics fiscal conservatism focused on lower taxes and responsible spending—and that House members were right to reject Obama's stimulus plan.

“I know all of you are pumped about the vote the other day,” Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor, the party whip, told lawmakers Friday night, eliciting loud cheers from the roomful of Republicans. “We’ll have more to come.”

While Democrats complain that those votes amount to obstructionism which will haunt the GOP in 2010, Republicans believe the opposite is true, and that the vote will help reinvigorate a party that has lacked energy in recent years. . . .

http://washingtonindependent.com/28417/steele-to-house-gop-stimulus-bill-goose-egg-beautiful
[More from Michael Steele] "Let me start by saying, the goose egg that you laid on the president’s desk was just beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. . . You and I know that in the history of mankind and womankind, government—federal, state or local—has never created one job,” he said. “It’s destroyed a lot of them.”

Hoping for the worst? http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11260
[Tristero] The rejection of bipartisanship by the Republicans should be perceived in terms of their long term strategy. They know that the depression has just begun. The worse is yet to come. How bad will it be? Far worse than anyone so far has imagined. . . The GOP knows that no feasible stimulus plan, no matter how large or well-crafted, can avert catastrophe. They intend to refuse to go along with anything Obama proposes, wait until disaster hits,and then - counting on the country's short memory span as well as the complicity of the media - blame Obama, Democrats, and liberalism for destroying the economy. . . [read on]

Who’s in charge here?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_01/016687.php
[Steve Benen] The headline from The Hill says congressional Republicans are "losing patience" with President Obama. Seriously. . . . [read on]

It’s always interesting to see what is happening at the state level, where GOP governors can’t afford the partisanship and posturing of their national party

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_01/016694.php
[AP] Most Republican governors have broken with their GOP colleagues in Congress and are pushing for passage of President Barack Obama's economic aid plan that would send billions to states for education, public works and health care. . . .

More: http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/1/31/17545/0292

Two bad-news items on the Obama side

Afghanistan and Pakistan: http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11266

The return of rendition: http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-rendition1-2009feb01,0,7548176,full.story

Tom Daschle, HHS nominee, looks finished

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/01/31/daschle_didnt_report_income.html
ABC News has obtained the Senate Finance Committee report on former Sen. Tom Daschle's nomination to be HHS Secretary, "which indicates that Daschle's tax problems were even more substantial than earlier reported." . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_01/016686.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_01/016695.php

Is this the heavy hint from the Obama admin that it’s time for him to step aside?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/31/AR2009013102021.html
Thomas A. Daschle waited nearly a month after being nominated to be secretary of health and human services before informing Barack Obama that he had not paid years of back taxes for the use of a car and driver provided by a wealthy New York investor. . . .

Howard Dean for HHS? (I doubt it)

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/1/31/215949/065/43/691527

Judd Gregg (R-NH) could be appointed Sect’y of Commerce on Monday – will that trigger a series of events that gives the Dems their 60 vote majority?

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11263

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/1/31/165019/005

Criminal negligence in the peanut salmonella case?

http://www.americablog.com/2009/01/justice-department-to-open-criminal.html
[Chris in Paris] The Bush FDA never had an interest in protecting Americans. Whatever business wanted, business received. Those days of ignoring problems and relying on business to self regulate appear to be over. . . . [read on]

The enduring legacy of the Bush Supreme Court

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/31/washington/31scotus.html
In 1983, a young lawyer in the Reagan White House was hard at work on what he called in a memorandum “the campaign to amend or abolish the exclusionary rule” — the principle that evidence obtained by police misconduct cannot be used against a defendant.

The Reagan administration’s attacks on the exclusionary rule — a barrage of speeches, opinion articles, litigation and proposed legislation — never gained much traction. But now that young lawyer, John G. Roberts Jr., is chief justice of the United States.

This month, Chief Justice Roberts, writing for the majority in Herring v. United States, a 5-to-4 decision, took a big step toward the goal he had discussed a quarter-century before. . . .

Are we seeing the disappearance of the phrase “war on terror”?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_01/016693.php

More signs of change: can you believe that the Bushies are STILL complaining that Obama isn’t running the White House the same way they did?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_01/016690.php

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/barack_obama_/2009/01/priorities.php

Wow. An amazing story (if true): did the US conspire to eliminate possible opponents to their man Ahmed Chalabi, back when the neo-cons were trying to install him as the new leader of postwar Iraq?

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/01/31/taking-out-iraqs-future-leaders/

Is the WH press briefing obsolete?

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/01/scott_mcclellan_the_white_house_press_briefing_is_obsolete.php

Sunday talk show line-ups

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlDC/on/sunday_show_preview__107408.asp
NBC's Meet the Press: Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and a roundtable with CNBC's Erin Burnett, Forbes' Steve Forbes and Moody's Economy.com's Mark Zandi.

CBS' Face the Nation: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and the New York Times' David Brooks.

ABC's This Week: Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Google CEO Eric Schmidt and FedEx CEO Frederick Smith.

CNN's State of The Union with John King: Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN), Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich and Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist.

Fareed Zakaria, GPS: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Mexican President Felipe Calderon, South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and South African President Kgalema Motlanthe.

WTF? http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009_01_25_archive.html#5964053127993991216
NBC Meet the Press--The stimulus package; financial bailout; the economy: Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas); Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.); Erin Burnett ("Street Signs," "Squawk on the Street"); Steve Forbes, Forbes magazine; Mark Zandi, Moodys. Moderator: David Gregory.

[Atrios] Mark Zandi, former McCain adviser. Steve Forbes, former Republican candidate for president and basic conservative crazy person. Erin Burnett, of unknown political affiliation (to me) but was last seen fluffing Rush Limbaugh and generally expresses such viewpoints. John Kerry, Democrat. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Republican.

Bonus item: GOP logic

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2009/1/31/11049/9398
[Mark Steyn] Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, is on TV explaining the (at this point the congregation shall fall to its knees and prostrate itself) "stimulus." "How," asks the lady from CBS, "does $335 million in STD prevention stimulate the economy?"

"I'll tell you how," says Speaker Pelosi. "I'm a big believer in prevention. And we have, er… there is a part of the bill on the House side that is about prevention. It's about it being less expensive to the states to do these measures."

Makes a lot of sense. If we have more STD prevention, it will be safer for loose women to go into bars and pick up feckless men, thus stimulating the critical beer and nuts and jukebox industries. To do this, we need trillion-dollar deficits, which our children and grandchildren will have to pay off, but, with sufficient investment in prevention measures, there won't be any children or grandchildren, so there's that problem solved.

The more interviews Speaker Pelosi gives explaining how vital the STD industry is to restarting the U.S. economy, the more I find myself hearing "syphilis" every time she says "stimulus."

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_01/016688.php
[Glenn Beck] "OK, there's something driving me to the edge of insanity, makes blood shoot right out my eyes, and that is California.

“California today, they voted against offshore drilling. Not on their land, or their shore, no. They also voted last week to raise emissions standards because it's too smoggy there and they care about the trees. Also, uh, in the stimulus, we found out today, it appears as though Hollywood can get a, um, bailout, from you and me, because nobody's going to see their movies. Hmmph! You'd think maybe they should just make better movies, and then we'd all go. But no no, let's bail them all out.

"The Civil War taught us that, apparently, U.S. states can't secede from the Union. I'd like to test that one again maybe sometime. But what I'd like to know is if the Union has the right to kick out states. Because if so, I'd like to take a star right out of our flag, and California is it.

"From eco-warriors running the state and ruining it to Hollywood projecting their family values and politics on the U.S., and illegal immigration driving them into bankruptcy, the Golden State drives me out of my mind, and I don't think I'm alone."

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***