Well, it's going to be in the 40's today, so I'll be cutting paths in snow so runoff goes away from the house...what are you thinking about?
Harry Reid has said he might consider sticking the Public Option into a reconciled bill. The White House has said it might be behind it. Depending on who you believe, somewhere between 15 and 20 have signed on to the Public Option, if it's in the bill. Is it just talk? To me, it sounds like the question of jumping off the roof: "I'll go if you go first..." The White House is waiting on the Senate, the Senate "leadership" is waiting on the rank and file, the rank and file is looking for leadership.
Hey kids -- it will be a soft landing: hold hands and jump together. Every day more Americans lose their health insurance and more people die.
That's what I've got....I'm off to prevent more weather damage.
I haven't checked the stats, but I'd guess that the average American moves more often than the average seat in the House of Representative changes hands. That means that a lot of us will have voted for more than one of the current Representatives. And that's particularly true for the representatives from big, cosmopolitan cities, where a lot of people move in and out.
So I'm curious. What current Representatives have you voted for? My list is in the comments.
If you live in the south or lower midwest, your weather is keeping you inside today! I've heard there could be record snowfalls in some areas.
Here, it's just plain freezing cold.
What was your favourite under-the-radar news tidbit this week?
Mine was that the judge ordered James O'Keefe to stay with his parents until his next hearing. Turns out it is "unclear" where he lived before his arrest. Deep potential vein of humour there -- getting served Kool-Aid at Orly Taitz's house? Taking b&e courses at the Liddy School?
As with all weather stories, the press cannot be trusted to tell the truth. I passed the television and heard that the purple area on the map already had at least 12 inches of snow on the ground. I looked at the map, and immediately knew that I was standing IN the purple area, and we only had about 2 inches.
While I am outside with my electric snow shovel (OH JOY!!!! It's SO MUCH EASIER) please feel free to use the open thread to talk about what you think will happen with the Senate today. I heard Mark Begich last night, and I know he'll be there....Or your opinion on the climate change conference outcome....or your weather stories...or whatever.
Here's what I'll be thinking about - and posting on later today (if the power holds, which is honestly 50/50): I've been receiving emails and looking at articles indicating that conservadems are in real trouble for 2010, but the progressives are gaining traction. So I'm thinking about electability. I have no doubt that any legitimate progressive challenger in a House district, and most Senate races, will easily sweep a 2010 primary. But will they be able to retain seats in R+X districts? Will they be able to pick up Republican seats (or open seats currently held by Republicans) in D+X districts?....I'll have the information and analysis later today, weather permitting.
UPDATE: For any of you who are unemployed - the Senate just passed the Defense Appropriations bill, with the extended unemployment and COBRA benefits. It appears the Medicaid and food stamps increases went through also.
As I write this, the snow hasn't yet started to fall. By the time this posts, theoretically, it will be snowing. First midlantic snow of the season. There's been a lot of hype about it, which is normally inversely proportional to the amount of snow that falls.
My afternoon is going to be spent reviewing some documents I've been provided. Tomorrow, I'll be interviewing Doug Pike, one of the two Democratic candidates for Congress from the 6th Congressional District in Pennsylvania. On Thursday, I'll be interviewing his competitor Manan Trivendi. The two men are a study in opposites in lots of ways, and I'll be interested to nail them down on their various positions on the issues that matter to voters.
The interviews will publish in several articles, here and in the Philadelphia Jewish Voice. The general information will be at DCW, and the Middle East interviews will be over at PJV, and all will be cross-linked.
Interviewing candidates is fun and not as hard as you think. Maybe YOU would like to interview candidates where you live, for publication here at DCW, and potentially in your local press. The trick to interviews is to be prepared. Read everything you can about the candidate ahead of time, have more questions ready than you can possibly ask within the time frame allotted, and BEFRIENDLYANDKIND. You're looking for information, even if the person you're interviewing holds beliefs completely counter to your own.
That's what I've got for now. Enjoy your afternoon, especially if you end up with the kind of snow that allows for snowmen and snow angels...
Hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving, filled with family, friends, beloved pets and lots of good eating! And I hope you were grateful for all you have.
Today is Black Friday, and it appears to me that someone, somewhere, has sucked the joy right out of it. Copies of the ads were available online weeks ago, many "deals" were not deals at all, and if they were, you could buy them online at one minute past midnight in your pjs. I was, however, glad to see that steps have been taken to avoid the trampling deaths of last year at the Wal-mart. We'll see how it goes: often Black Friday is the test of how good or bad the holiday retail season will be. In case you don't know, it's named "Black Friday" because historically it was the day retailers went from operating in the red to operating in the black. In an economy like ours, it matters this year. Since 70% of the economy is consumer-driven, a great Black Friday could mean a shot in the arm all around to start the Main Street recovery.
I have made one Black Friday purchase already (yes, in my pjs) and I'm telling you about it because it indirectly affects you. I bought something I've been considering for a couple months. It is something that is made exclusively in America, helps protect American jobs in media, distribution, retail, and logging. I re-upped my USA Today subscription. They had sent an email indicating that for Black Friday, they were cutting the cost in half. And it was just too sweet to pass up. So, you'll be seeing their information and terrific investigative reporting discussed here again.
I'll be off line until probably tomorrow - going to catch up on some relaxation, and yes, spend some time at the stores. This is a great day to buy toys to drop off at Toys for Tots, gloves and scarves to drop to the clothing drives, and drop a few bags of food to the local food bank. My mother instilled in me the law of "tzadakah" - which is an involved Jewish concept of charity: no matter how much or how little you have, others have less. Everyone who knows me over the age of 18 knows that in lieu of any holiday presents, they'll get a note saying something along the lines of "the money that would have gone to your present was donated in your name to X charity." She also taught me that when something great happens, you should celebrate by writing a check that hurts to charity.
Yesterday, I watched Olivia eat turkey. The dog that didn't have a chance of making it to her favourite day of the year, happily eating turkey. For me, there are no politics today, only big bags of food for people who didn't have as good a day yesterday as Olivia did.
Back tomorrow - I hope y'all have a fun day. And to echo something MisterEd wrote in the comments yesterday - big thanks to the police, fire, medical and Armed Forces people who don't ever get holidays because they are there, protecting and serving those of us lucky enough to get that time off.
Eight years ago, at just about the time of this writing, America's world changed forever.
Today, outside my window, it is pouring rain. In stark contrast of the blue skies and perfect temperatures 8 years ago. I remember that day so clearly. Olivia and I had been running in Valley Forge Park, and we came back. She to breakfast and a nap. Me to two computers and a stack of work. Livingston Taylor was playing on the CD player. And the phone rang. A friend's voice: "Does your brother still work in the World Trade Center?". When I said "Yes" she yelled for me to turn on the TV, and hung up. I ran and caught the second plane hitting.
Thus began hours to find out where my brother, my sister-in-law, my best friend and a whole list of other people who were ostensibly in or near the Towers were. No cell service. Spotty land line service. A day that passed so quickly while simultaneously seeming endless.
Please use the comments to remark on your remembrances.
Jonathan Alter on why the current health insurance system is as good as it gets.
Daniel G. Bogden may get his job back. He was one of the prosecutors the Prince of Darkness and Gonzo had fired.
The "say on pay" bill passed the House. As an American taxpayer, and therefore one of the owners of parts of GM and many banks, I REALLY want to go to the stockholders meetings. I vote NO.
The fallout from the Ted "the chair is in the basement" Stevens continues.
Michael "hip-hop" Steele spent $2,196 per vote to get the RNC chairmanship.
A new poll came out this week on the NJ gubernatorial race, and there's no joy for Jon. Likewise for Deeds in Virginia, although the latest poll is from SUSA, and you know them....still, Deeds hasn't shown any good polling numbers since early June.
The Senate IIE still doesn't understand the difference between "government paid, privately delivered" and "government operated", and they're going to be spreading lies to boot.
That was some of my morning reading. Hope you'll share yours...
On a personal note, I am very pleased to announce that, as is her wont, last night, at precisely 6:00 p.m. per the computer clock, Olivia bounded up the stairs, came over to my desk, looked at me and demanded "where the @#&^ is my dinner?" It was the first time in a week that she'd done so. When I stood up, she ran down the stairs and over to the fridge where her beef and broccoli awaited. (She never gets dog food - and if you came to my house, I wouldn't serve you pellets, either.) She suddenly awoke from lethargy, hungry, happy and her old self. She kept her dinner down and it, um, passed, indicating no obstruction.
We are going visiting today so she can meet Princess. While I'm at Netroots Nation, Olivia will be staying with (human) friends she knows, but she has never met their dog, and we'd like to do that ahead of time. I'm hopeful they'll get along.
If you have a dog, you know my glee and relief. If you don't, you should...there is nothing better in the world.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest is suing Denny's. CSPI wants Denny's to list sodium content of their meals on the menus, and place a warning alongside.
A number of years ago, CSPI went after Fettuccine Alfredo. This was probably 15 years ago. It was listed as one of the ten worst foods for its fat content. If memory serves, they said something to the effect that eating Fettuccine Alfredo would cause your arteries to clog on the spot.
I've disliked them ever since.
I stick with my basic position that if tobacco, transfats, salt, alcohol, cell-phones-while-driving, and all the rest are so bad: ban them outright. Make it as illegal to use these things as it is to set off a nuclear device.
But I don't think that's the answer: legislating these things out of existence is not a good idea. Take Fettuccine Alfredo. I'll admit, I'm a fan. The butter, the cheese, the comfort. Do I eat it often? No, once, maybe twice a year. Would I be willing to eat ersatz Fettuccine Alfredo? With light cheese and light margarine? OF COURSE NOT! What would be the point? Would I eat it on a regular basis? No. I know my cholesterol would triple.
The basic point is that rather than legislating, EDUCATE. Teach people that if they eat well most of the time, a plate of fettuccine, or a slice of cake, or even a transfat laden donut won't hurt them on a rare occasion.
I believe in government action to make the world better, not to tell me how to think.
So here's the Saturday afternoon open thread question set:
Do you think the government should tell you what to eat?
Do you have a "guilty pleasure" food?
And finally - it's a beautiful afternoon - why aren't you outside working off that guilty pleasure food?
It will be a busy week on the Hill (and for the pundits) -- Sotomayor may get voted on this Tuesday, the health care wars continue, and the economy continues to crumble.
I spent 5 days at a major urban hospital this week with a terminally ill friend. I'll have some posts up, later, about what health care on the ground really looks like.
There was only one moment of humour the whole week. It was about quarter to six in the morning, and it had taken longer than usual for the 3 a.m. pain meltdown, and I was out looking at some semblance of the sun rising, in search of a decent cup of coffee. I came back into the hospital, and there, on the counter in front of the guard was a USA Today. I hadn't seen a newspaper, a web site, nor a TV in days. So I asked if I could scan the headlines since I was a news junkie. He looked at me, and out of the blue asked if I knew anything about why Arlen Specter changed parties.
So anyway, as I really need to catch up on the news, please let me know what you thought the most interesting, important (or even snarky) news tidbits were this week.
Eight years ago, at just about the time of this writing, America's world changed forever.
Why aren't you outside playing?
