tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58086752009-11-11T05:01:45.506-06:00PBD - Progressive Blog DigestThis daily blog is composed of clips and links from other progressive blog and news sites, accompanied by my own observations. It documents the failure and decline of the Republican party, the ongoing legacy of the Bush years, and the efforts of the Obama administration to build a new, lasting Democratic coalition.Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comBlogger1955125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-20942173161229839272009-11-11T04:57:00.002-06:002009-11-11T05:01:45.520-06:002009-11-11T05:01:45.520-06:00OUR PERICLESA great speechhttp://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/11/10/obamas_best_speech_ever.html[Taegan Goddard] President Obama's speech at Fort Hood may go down as one of his best ever. . . .[Marc Ambinder] I guarantee: they'll be teaching this one in rhetoric classes. It was that good. . . [watch and read]CNN makes a discovery (that everyone else has known for months)http://Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-28757897036396987532009-11-10T06:09:00.002-06:002009-11-10T06:14:34.056-06:002009-11-10T06:14:34.056-06:00STUPIFYINGHow bad is the Stupak amendment?http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/9/802519/-What-the-Stupak-Pitts-Coathanger-Amendment-Doeshttp://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/goldilocks-was-betrayed-by-digby-all.htmlhttp://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/broken-rearview-mirror-by-digby-nancy.htmlhttp://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/9/802649/-Whats-Really-Pissing-Me-OffWorse and worse: Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-19364367738325010452009-11-09T05:33:00.003-06:002009-11-09T05:45:57.581-06:002009-11-09T05:45:57.581-06:00WHICH SIDE ARE THEY ON?The Dems who voted against health care reformhttp://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2009/11/analyzing-the-partybuckers-on.htmlhttp://www.mydd.com/story/2009/11/8/113843/351http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/11/08/us/politics/1108-health-care-vote.htmlMore: http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/11/8/231434/205Which House Democrats Opposed Health Reform, Clean Energy, Tobacco Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-70247839259350934932009-11-08T00:11:00.001-06:002009-11-08T00:13:08.886-06:002009-11-08T00:13:08.886-06:00GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWSGood news: House health care bill passeshttp://firedoglake.com/2009/11/07/h-r-3962-health-care-bill-passes/220-215More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/house-passes-health-care-bill-220-215.phpA defeat for know-nothingism: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/020862.php[Steve Benen] It's sad, for lack of a better word, that in the midst of theNick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-47251394438774600832009-11-07T01:50:00.002-06:002009-11-07T01:57:51.480-06:002009-11-07T01:57:51.480-06:00ON TILTThe far right is feeling their power to dictate terms to the rest of the GOP, and they aren’t being shy about ithttp://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/6/801358/-DeMint:-Recruiting-moderates-who-can-win-doesnt-make-any-senseDeMint: Recruiting moderates who can win "doesn't make any sense"More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/gop-could-face-more-challenges-from-right-after-ny-Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-31371371202848509512009-11-06T00:52:00.005-06:002009-11-06T01:05:57.533-06:002009-11-06T01:05:57.533-06:00RUNNING SCAREDSo, here is the political state of the GOP. Having identified Obama’s policies as the work of Maoists. . . err. . .Nazis . . .err. . . Stalinists, well you know BAD GUYS, the new Foxified GOP has whipped up wild irrational fear of the Democrats' agenda. Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh and Michele Bachmann are defining the issues of the moment.For serious Republican politicians, if Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-19019050853075194802009-11-05T05:00:00.002-06:002009-11-05T05:09:16.786-06:002009-11-05T05:09:16.786-06:00EVEN WHEN THEY LOSE, THEY WINDoug Hoffman’s destruction of sure winner Republican Dede Scozzafava, and then his eventual loss to Democrat Bill Owens in a NY congressional seat that had been held by the GOP since the nineteenth century was a “huge win for conservatives.” Run that by me again?http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=29305http://firedoglake.com/2009/11/04/Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-11460242819740233062009-11-04T05:01:00.004-06:002009-11-04T05:24:19.622-06:002009-11-04T05:24:19.622-06:00THE BIG NIGHTThe headlines were written before the polls even closed: Republican’s sweep! Bad night for Obama! And that was the narrative throughout the night, even though, well, things didn’t quite work out that wayhttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/nyregion/04elect.htmlRepublicans swept contests for governor in New Jersey and Virginia on Tuesday as voters went to the polls filled with economic Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-68256420613900522712009-11-03T06:06:00.004-06:002009-11-03T06:46:41.803-06:002009-11-03T06:46:41.803-06:00ON A RAMPAGENow that they can’t stop health care reform, the GOP drops any pretense of civilityhttp://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/rep-foxx-health-care-reform-more-dangerous-than-any-terrorist.phpOn the House floor today, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) warned that health care reform poses a greater threat to American freedoms than "any terrorist right now in any country." . . .http://Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-51121106878407568372009-11-02T05:58:00.003-06:002009-11-02T06:02:16.346-06:002009-11-02T06:02:16.346-06:00DEEPLY DIVIDEDI’m starting to think the Obama folks knew this was coming, which is why they’ve been putting such emphasis on getting Olympia Snowehttp://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/lieberman-pledges-to-filibuster-public-option-blames-its-supporters-for-holding-up-reform.phpLieberman Pledges To Filibuster Public Option, Blames Its Supporters For Holding Up Reformhttp://Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-61465785312423289722009-11-01T06:55:00.002-06:002009-11-01T06:58:49.169-06:002009-11-01T06:58:49.169-06:00WEAK LINKSThe Tea Baggers earn a scalp, forcing the moderate Republican out of the NY-23 racehttp://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/ny-23-goper-scozzafava-suspends-campaign.phpAnalysis: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/10/31/799118/-NY-23:-Dominoes-Fall,-And-A-Reflection-On-Moderates-and-Womenhttp://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/drop-out-by-digby-so-it-looks-like.htmlhttp://Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-60989847479663716392009-10-31T06:56:00.004-05:002009-10-31T07:51:40.078-05:002009-10-31T07:51:40.078-05:00DOG BITES MANDid Dick Cheney lie to the FBI?http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/us/politics/31cheney.htmlFormer Vice President Dick Cheney denied in an interview with a special prosecutor investigating the C.I.A. leak case that he had played any role in the disclosure of the identity of Valerie Wilson as an intelligence officer . . .http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/10/22-Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-42627933747664156772009-10-30T06:12:00.003-05:002009-10-30T06:22:00.449-05:002009-10-30T06:22:00.449-05:00DECISIONS, DECISIONSThe House presents its health care bill, with a public option. Like it or hate it?Like it: http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/10/house_bill_wins_over_progressives.php[Chris Good] House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's newly unveiled health care package isn't as ambitious as what most progressives have called for, but they're praising it as a big step toward passing a reform package Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-29896441140342798002009-10-29T07:25:00.002-05:002009-10-29T07:29:51.949-05:002009-10-29T07:29:51.949-05:00WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESEJoe Lieberman, filibuster hypocritehttp://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/10/joes_other_switcheroo.php[Josh Marshall] Reformers are all up in arms over Joe Lieberman's new effort to scuttle health care reform, for good reason. What got far less attention was that between yesterday and today Joe completely changed his rationale for why he thinks the public option is Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-21578716465791068292009-10-28T06:47:00.002-05:002009-10-28T06:51:56.528-05:002009-10-28T06:51:56.528-05:00SAY IT AIN’T SO, JOEJoe Lieberman, who loves being in the position of The Most Important Member of Congress, now says he will help the GOP block health care reform. I doubt he actually will, in the end, but in the meantime he’ll get plenty of attentionhttp://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28788.htmlMuch ado about nothing? http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/10/27/Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-53124764177471910302009-10-27T06:39:00.004-05:002009-10-27T07:20:20.920-05:002009-10-27T07:20:20.920-05:00WINNING THE BATTLEWell, gotta hand it to Harry Reid: he stared down the conservaDems and said no to Olympia Snow. The Senate bill has the public option (with an “opt-out” clause – more on that in a moment)http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/10/26/public_option/index.htmlhttp://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/opt-out-opt-in-by-digby-so-good-news-is.htmlhttp://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-1950291116095871712009-10-26T06:13:00.003-05:002009-10-26T06:24:49.370-05:002009-10-26T06:24:49.370-05:00GETTING TO 60?http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/schumer-dems-very-close-to-60-votes.phpAppearing on Meet The Press, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said that Democrats are approaching 60 votes for a compromise public option: "The liberals, they like it stronger, but they're willing to live with level playing field, opt-out. The more moderate Democrats, there are some who actually like it. As Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-30591892740917363902009-10-25T07:51:00.002-05:002009-10-25T07:54:43.723-05:002009-10-25T07:54:43.723-05:00THE VILLAGE PEOPLEDespite their best efforts to unilaterally declare the public option dead, the Villagers are beginning to embrace the new reality, that a public option in some form is inevitablehttp://news.firedoglake.com/2009/10/24/village-surprise-on-health-care/But, but. . . it costs too much! http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/10/24/796720/-Where-Our-Money-GoesWhere things go from Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-25343085552622193222009-10-24T07:29:00.002-05:002009-10-24T07:34:41.294-05:002009-10-24T07:34:41.294-05:00KABUKIhttp://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/sources-white-house-pushing-back-against-senate-public-option-opt-out-compromise.phpMultiple sources tell TPMDC that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is very close to rounding up 60 members in support of a public option with an opt out clause, and are continuing to push skeptical members. But they also say that the White House is pushing back Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-60861446723421229802009-10-23T07:19:00.002-05:002009-10-23T07:29:27.121-05:002009-10-23T07:29:27.121-05:00WAR BY OTHER MEANSMore smoke signals that an “opt-out” public option will be in the Senate bill. Olympia Snowe says she won’t support it, but maybe, finally, the Dems are realizing that they don’t need her anyway.By the way, a simple distinction that seems to be beyond most of the press. You hear often that “the Democrats need 60 votes to pass the bill” or “fewer than 60 Dems support a public Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-46525355375819256102009-10-22T07:40:00.003-05:002009-10-22T07:45:42.097-05:002009-10-22T07:45:42.097-05:00SAND IN THE GEARSThe “opt-out” public option option returns againhttp://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/rockefeller-warms-to-public-option-opt-out.phpI’ve said all along that the 60 vote majority of the Dems has been exaggerated, and I predicted at the start that there would never be an instance in which those 60 votes, and only those votes, decided an issue. And we haven’t seen it yet. Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-87201409979905990102009-10-21T05:36:00.002-05:002009-10-21T05:41:35.498-05:002009-10-21T05:41:35.498-05:00GETTING MOTIVATEDTime for Obama to get involved on health carehttp://www.americablog.com/2009/10/hill-aides-more-senators-would-back.htmlHill Aides: More senators would back Public Plan if Obama pushed harderhttp://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/senate-aide-its-time-for-the-white-house-to-take-a-stand-on-the-public-option.phpTop Aide: It's Time For The White House To Take Stand On Public Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-29538599402525312232009-10-20T06:44:00.003-05:002009-10-20T06:54:13.097-05:002009-10-20T06:54:13.097-05:00DON’T BOTHER US WITH THE FACTSItem 1: The Village has decided that there can’t be/won’t be a public option in the final health care bill – so why won’t those silly leftist Dems stop talking about it?Exhibit A, Chris Matthews: “How Will President Obama Lead the Left to Accept No Public Option?”http://video.thechrismatthewsshow.com/player/?fid=31183Fact: there probably WILL be a public option in Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-76922232408759984772009-10-19T06:41:00.003-05:002009-10-19T06:45:13.288-05:002009-10-19T06:45:13.288-05:00FOXES IN THE HENHOUSEThe four men who hold the future of health care reform in their handshttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/17/AR2009101701810.html Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) sits at the head of a wooden table at his office as he and Sens. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) and Max Baucus (D-Mont.) work to merge two competing versions of health-care Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808675.post-46129729256381135302009-10-18T07:50:00.002-05:002009-10-18T07:53:44.228-05:002009-10-18T07:53:44.228-05:00YES, IT’S TRUEhttp://news.firedoglake.com/2009/10/16/new-report-conservative-republicans-are-delusional-paranoids/Conservative Republicans Are Delusional ParanoidsYou think that’s an exaggeration?http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/nra-call-should-third-world-dictators----and-hillary-clinton----dictate-our-gun-rights.phpNRA: Should Third World Dictators -- And Hillary Clinton -- Nick Burbuleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052188822471256837noreply@blogger.com