That was the pull quote from the President’s message a little after midnight, after the House passed the health care reform bill. This business isn’t quite over yet; the Senate has to pass another piece of fix-it legislation, though (knock on whatever hard surface you have on hand) it doesn’t appear there’ll be a serious […]
Long week, though reasonably productive. Still, happy to be heading into the weekend. Before I get to the tunes, a little something worth your time: A reasonably thorough but not overly long overview of the health care bill, that, with luck, is going to see a vote (and hopefully get passed) on Sunday afternoon. Not […]
What wonkette said: Just pass the damned thing, and own it. Health care reform is the kind of thing politicians should be proud of delivering to their constituents, not trying to run from while still passing it. So, House Democrats, go with “deem and pass” if you feel you have have to if it’ll get […]
In today’s latest edition of “People elsewhere on the internet have said interesting things”, I point you, dear reader, to the always excellent slacktivist, where the author examines the way American political factions have advocated for their position on health care reform in terms of popular game show programs. In short, President Obama and most […]
In the last two and a quarter centuries of American history, it’s always been fashionable for politicians and politically motivated organizations to include callbacks to well-known historical documents and quotations in their speeches and published materials. President Obama titled his speech on race in America during the 2008 campain “A More Perfect Union,” referencing the […]
Remember that history lesson about the filibuster from a couple of days ago, where I lamented the modern nature of the filibuster, and wished it would return to the contest of endurance where the dissenting minority had to back up the sincerity of their opposition by actually talking things to death? Well, stuff like that […]
Commenter tannenburg‘s brilliant and succinct deconstruction of the ethos of a certain political faction deserves a celebratory cry of “THIS!!!!111!eleventyone1!” from all corners. I know I’m overly snarky here, but I keep hearing “I’m ignorant, and angry about things which I’m ignorant of, but by God if you tell me I’m ignorant and try to […]
For the most part, I got a pretty good public school education. The breadth of knowledge I left high school with was sufficient to prepare me for more in-depth study at the university level, and equipped me well enough to function as a base-level responsible adult in American public life. I can, however, point to […]
With the weather being, shall we say, uncommon, for this region at this time of year, I’m hearing more and more comments from folks, both personally and in the media, questioning the validity of global warming/climate change, taking particular shots at one Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, former Senator, Vice President, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, and […]
Those wily English, with their tea and their Doctor Who and their National Health Service, also happen to have an interesting perspective on the American political circus. The other day, the BBC offered up a solid investigation as to why Americans tend to vote against their own interests. And, oddly enough, it’s not entirely that […]
