Tonight’s live chat continues here!
This week’s topics:
1) HOWARD DEAN AND MARKOS MOULITSAS ARE BOTH SAYING IT’S TIME TO SCRAP THE CURRENT SENATE BILL BECAUSE IT IS TOO COMPROMISED. A NATIONAL POLL SHOWS 63% OF DEMOCRATS THINK THE PRESIDENT DIDN’T FIGHT LIEBERMAN HARD ENOUGH. A CLIMATE AGREEMENT WAS JUST REACHED THAT WILL ALLOW THE EARTH’S TEMPERATURE TO RISE BY 2 DEGREES CELSIUS. THE QUESTION: IS THE IDEA THAT WE SHOULDN’T LET THE PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD GUTTING THE PROGRESSIVE AGENDA?
2) FED CHAIRMAN BEN BERNANKE HAS JUST BEEN NAMED TIME MAGAZINE’S PERSON OF THE YEAR FOR 2009. SUPPORTERS SAY BERNANKE LED THE EFFORT THAT SAVED THE WORLD ECONOMY. CRITICS SAY HE SHOULD HAVE FORESEEN THE FINANCIAL MELTDOWN AND DONE SOMETHING TO STOP IT. QUESTION: DO YOU AGREE WITH TIME’S CHOICE? IF SO, WHY? IF NOT, WHY NOT, AND WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE INSTEAD?
3) SENATOR BEN NELSON IS THREATENING TO FILIBUSTER THE HEALTH CARE BILL OVER ABORTION. JOE LIEBERMAN THREATENS TO FILIBUSTER ANY HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION. LAST NIGHT, REPUBLICANS TRIED TO FILIBUSTER FUNDING FOR THE TROOPS IN A CYNICAL MOVE TO SLOW DOWN HEALTH CARE REFORM. THIS WEEK PAUL KRUGMAN COMPARED THE FILIBULSTER TO BLACKMAIL. EZRA KLEIN CALLED IT HOSTAGE TAKING. QUESTION: HAS THE FILIBUSTER OUTLIVED ITS USEFULNESS? ARE THERE REASONS TO KEEP IT?
Sorry I missed Vox Populi….I’m into a really good book, so that trumps everything in my life, even feeding and walking the dogs! Hope to be at the next chat….
DO share! I love good books. I’m reading Horse Soldiers now; I HAVE to pace myself, and read books about SOMETHING other than Afghanistan between the “required” reading ones.
I missed the Vox Populi. 🙁
“Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good”. It sounds so sensible, so adult. Who could argue? The only problem is, it is usually just feelgoodspeak for “We’ve already got the Greed Kings to agree to throw the rest of you folks a bone that still has a little bit of fat on it. That’s the best deal you’re gonna get from them. Take it or leave it.”
I agreed with it when there was one thing here and one thing there, but by god, they’ve gutted it so completely and are turning it into an anti-abortion vehicle that the phrase has turned sinister in its folksy admonitions.
The Senate bill, no matter what, is only half the story. With the pick of nothing but four progressives and one muzzled conservative (caught plying favors for his girlfriend), the very real possibility is that they are passing on Lieberman, not fighting here so they GET a bill, working it massively over in Conference Committee with the very much better House bill, THEN telling Lieberman – vote or get busted off all your committees. If they do that NOW, he could decide to call their bluff when cloture is essential in the final, crucial vote. You can only threaten him ONCE. The move of the FINAL bill is what matters, NOT the Senate bill.
We all must work the Conference Committee – that is where the final language with essential programs and bill elements will be worked out. That Reid has ONLY progressives (and muzzled Baucus) is outstanding and says all that we need to know. Hold the indignation and criticism over Lieberman – this is entirely tactical, and it’s the right thing to do. I am heartily encouraged by Reid’s choices, the calm that lets Lieberman THINK he won, and the real possibility that Conference Committee will give us BACK all the good stuff AND stuff Lieberman in a closet.
KEEP SPEAKING UP ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT IN THE BILL!!! This is NOT over!
PS – I posted this only to scroll down to see all of you eastern folks were heading to bed. Getting up a head of steam and speaking my mind really loses some oomph when there is no one there to read it. LOL!!!!! G’night all you folks out there. Talk at you (youze?) tomorrow.
Yes, on the substantive stuff. I’m here to read it. As to all the Western folks here, I don’t know what’s up. Either some aren’t observing boycott and are over at the-place-that-shall-not-be-named, or, they have actual lives on a Friday night. Tough call… 😉
Khirad,
Too darn tired, didn’t visit Queen of the Damned and, to be perfectly honest, don’t have an actual life even on a Friday night. 🙂
Looks like everyone has nodded off and like Greta Garbo, I’m alone but don’t “vant to be alone.”
Ok, I’ll get on with my cleaning then and see you later. *wavesherduster*
How come we can’t keep anybody hanging around?
Our “Get up and go” got up and went?
well friends you all have kept me up past my bed time, so I wish you all a good nightnd Kalima a GOOD day.
A special thought to KQ. GET WELL, guy!!!
Take good care bito. Rest well and good night.
Well, friends, it’s 11:15 p.m. here and I’m losing altitude fast.
Good night to all, from kes.
Good night kesmarn, rest well and be safe.
Kalima, one last word before I crash. I now have three cats begging at my door for hand outs. The huge (25 pounder) one I told you about, a little grey tiger and a black one. What have I started?? I wonder if they have food stamps for animal feeding “suckers” like me?
And good night all, one more time !!
Are you trying to catch up with me?
I know that we can never send them away hungry. “Fat cat” has to start a diet, pronto!
GN again. 🙂
Nighty Night
G’night k’esmarn, stay warm.
Yes, thank you nellie!
My pleasure.
Thanks again Nellie – great job – you ask very good questions that make you think.
and that is the problem with the general public they do not want to think to much.
Thanks, Patsy. We had an interesting week that raised some interesting questions.
This site had so many thoughtful posts and PoVs this week my brain feels warm and fuzzy Or are those my new meds? 🙂
Maybe a bit of both bito. 🙂
Too kind Kalima, too kind.~smile~
I like KQuark’s name for his meds: “main pedicines.”
KQ, if you’re out there, I hope you’re feeling better.
That made me chortle too.
It has been a roller coaster this week, I do like how Dean is saying that there are good things in this bill and it has to be made better… that sounds like a plan if that is still the story. It seems you have to check every hour, is the patient alive or dead.
Senate rule 22 has worked well in the past, the abuse of it the last two sessions have been shameful.
Thanks again to nellie for filling in so admirably for AdLib. Now we know what the mysterious email was about yesterday! 😮
LMAO…You in here turning the lights on and off, Obama20082012? LOL
TRP, I had a chance to skim over a few posts quickly before I went to Vox Populi, and it sounds like you had a great time in TN. Glad things went well. Maybe a new career?
Danag I missed it! 🙁
And I can’t spell!
Obama, either can I
Obama, if it weren’t for the “edit” feature, I’d be in huge trouble. (Another thing HP lacked!)
They used to have it and a delete button too.
No kidding, K? I joined in 2008 and I guess by then they had gotten rid of both. What a strange place! I surely don’t miss it…
I joined June 07 and during the years they got rid of almost everything, including the long time posters.
Like a good capitalist, Arianna views humans as expendable resources. What a fraud she is!
Yes and then she flaunts this.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/attention-last-minute-sho_b_395737.html
Funny how it is with that with loyal posters, huh. What other business model follows that course?
On the edit – it is GOOD there isn’t one, because the trolls would bait you then change theirs. I’ve wished I had an edit, but I just reply to my own comment, fastidious as I can be about spelling and such.
Yes it is funny, it’s like a well respected store suddenly tell their loyal customers to eff off.
Oh I don’t know, I rather like the word “danag.”
I just realized that too. Dang! I knew it was Friday too, but it escaped me that it was ‘Friday’. Ever done that?