DemConWatch

President Obama's Remarks at the Fort Hood Memorial Service

Oreo — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:46:47 GMT

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT MEMORIAL SERVICE AT FORT HOOD
Fort Hood - III Corps
Fort Hood, Texas

THE PRESIDENT: To the Fort Hood community; to Admiral Mullen; General Casey; General Cone; Secretary McHugh; Secretary Gates; most importantly, to family, friends and members of our Armed Forces. We come together filled with sorrow for the 13 Americans that we have lost; with gratitude for the lives that they led; and with a determination to honor them through the work we carry on.
This is a time of war. Yet these Americans did not die on a foreign field of battle. They were killed here, on American soil, in the heart of this great state and the heart of this great American community. This is the fact that makes the tragedy even more painful, even more incomprehensible.
For those families who have lost a loved one, no words can fill the void that's been left. We knew these men and women as soldiers and caregivers. You knew them as mothers and fathers; sons and daughters; sisters and brothers.
But here is what you must also know: Your loved ones endure through the life of our nation. Their memory will be honored in the places they lived and by the people they touched. Their life's work is our security, and the freedom that we all too often take for granted. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranquil town; every dawn that a flag is unfurled; every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -- that is their legacy.

Neither this country -- nor the values upon which we were founded -- could exist without men and women like these 13 Americans. And that is why we must pay tribute to their stories.

Chief Warrant Officer Michael Cahill had served in the National Guard and worked as a physician's assistant for decades. A husband and father of three, he was so committed to his patients that on the day he died, he was back at work just weeks after having had a heart attack.

Major Libardo Eduardo Caraveo spoke little English when he came to America as a teenager. But he put himself through college, earned a PhD, and was helping combat units cope with the stress of deployment. He's survived by his wife, sons and step-daughters.

Staff Sergeant Justin DeCrow joined the Army right after high school, married his high school sweetheart, and had served as a light wheeled mechanic and satellite communications operator. He was known as an optimist, a mentor, and a loving husband and loving father.

After retiring from the Army as a major, John Gaffaney cared for society's most vulnerable during two decades as a psychiatric nurse. He spent three years trying to return to active duty in this time of war, and he was preparing to deploy to Iraq as a captain. He leaves behind a wife and son.

Specialist Frederick Greene was a Tennessean who wanted to join the Army for a long time, and did so in 2008, with the support of his family. As a combat engineer he was a natural leader, and he is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Specialist Jason Hunt was also recently married, with three children to care for. He joined the Army after high school. He did a tour in Iraq, and it was there that he reenlisted for six more years on his 21st birthday so that he could continue to serve.

Staff Sergeant Amy Krueger was an athlete in high school, joined the Army shortly after 9/11, and had since returned home to speak to students about her experience. When her mother told her she couldn't take on Osama bin Laden by herself, Amy replied: "Watch me."

Private First Class Aaron Nemelka was an Eagle Scout who just recently signed up to do one of the most dangerous jobs in the service -- diffuse bombs -- so that he could help save lives. He was proudly carrying on a tradition of military service that runs deep within his family.

Private First Class Michael Pearson loved his family and loved his music, and his goal was to be a music teacher. He excelled at playing the guitar, and could create songs on the spot and show others how to play. He joined the military a year ago, and was preparing for his first deployment.

Captain Russell Seager worked as a nurse for the VA, helping veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress. He had extraordinary respect for the military, and signed up to serve so that he could help soldiers cope with the stress of combat and return to civilian life. He leaves behind a wife and son.

Private Francheska Velez, daughter of a father from Colombia and a Puerto Rican mother, had recently served in Korea and in Iraq, and was pursuing a career in the Army. When she was killed she was pregnant with her first child, and was excited about becoming a mother.

Lieutenant Colonel Juanita Warman was the daughter and granddaughter of Army veterans. She was a single mom who put herself through college and graduate school, and served as a nurse practitioner while raising her two daughters. She also left behind a loving husband.

Private First Class Kham Xiong came to America from Thailand as a small child. He was a husband and father who followed his brother into the military because his family had a strong history of service. He was preparing for his first deployment to Afghanistan.

These men and women came from all parts of the country. Some had long careers in the military. Some had signed up to serve in the shadow of 9/11. Some had known intense combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, and some cared for those did. Their lives speak to the strength, the dignity, the decency of those who serve, and that's how they will be remembered.

For that same spirit is embodied in the community here at Fort Hood, and in the many wounded who are still recovering. As was already mentioned, in those terrible minutes during the attack, soldiers made makeshift tourniquets out of their clothes. They braved gunfire to reach the wounded, and ferried them to safety in the backs of cars and a pickup truck.

One young soldier, Amber Bahr, was so intent on helping others, she did not realize for some time that she, herself, had been shot in the back. Two police officers -- Mark Todd and Kim Munley -- saved countless lives by risking their own. One medic -- Francisco de la Serna -- treated both Officer Munley and the gunman who shot her.

It may be hard to comprehend the twisted logic that led to this tragedy. But this much we do know -- no faith justifies these murderous and craven acts; no just and loving God looks upon them with favor. For what he has done, we know that the killer will be met with justice -- in this world, and the next.

These are trying times for our country. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the same extremists who killed nearly 3,000 Americans continue to endanger America, our allies, and innocent Afghans and Pakistanis. In Iraq, we're working to bring a war to a successful end, as there are still those who would deny the Iraqi people the future that Americans and Iraqis have sacrificed so much for.

As we face these challenges, the stories of those at Fort Hood reaffirm the core values that we are fighting for, and the strength that we must draw upon. Theirs are the tales of American men and women answering an extraordinary call -- the call to serve their comrades, their communities, and their country. In an age of selfishness, they embody responsibility. In an era of division, they call upon us to come together. In a time of cynicism, they remind us of who we are as Americans.

We are a nation that endures because of the courage of those who defend it. We saw that valor in those who braved bullets here at Fort Hood, just as surely as we see it in those who signed up knowing that they would serve in harm’s way.

We are a nation of laws whose commitment to justice is so enduring that we would treat a gunman and give him due process, just as surely as we will see that he pays for his crimes.

We're a nation that guarantees the freedom to worship as one chooses. And instead of claiming God for our side, we remember Lincoln’s words, and always pray to be on the side of God.

We're a nation that is dedicated to the proposition that all men and women are created equal. We live that truth within our military, and see it in the varied backgrounds of those we lay to rest today. We defend that truth at home and abroad, and we know that Americans will always be found on the side of liberty and equality. That's who we are as a people.

Tomorrow is Veterans Day. It's a chance to pause, and to pay tribute -- for students to learn the struggles that preceded them; for families to honor the service of parents and grandparents; for citizens to reflect upon the sacrifices that have been made in pursuit of a more perfect union.

For history is filled with heroes. You may remember the stories of a grandfather who marched across Europe; an uncle who fought in Vietnam; a sister who served in the Gulf. But as we honor the many generations who have served, all of us -- every single American -- must acknowledge that this generation has more than proved itself the equal of those who've come before.

We need not look to the past for greatness, because it is before our very eyes.

This generation of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have volunteered in the time of certain danger. They are part of the finest fighting force that the world has ever known. They have served tour after tour of duty in distant, different and difficult places. They have stood watch in blinding deserts and on snowy mountains. They have extended the opportunity of self-government to peoples that have suffered tyranny and war. They are man and woman; white, black, and brown; of all faiths and all stations -- all Americans, serving together to protect our people, while giving others half a world away the chance to lead a better life.

In today’s wars, there's not always a simple ceremony that signals our troops’ success -- no surrender papers to be signed, or capital to be claimed. But the measure of the impact of these young men and women is no less great -- in a world of threats that no know borders, their legacy will be marked in the safety of our cities and towns, and the security and opportunity that's extended abroad. It will serve as testimony to the character of those who served, and the example that all of you in uniform set for America and for the world.

Here, at Fort Hood, we pay tribute to 13 men and women who were not able to escape the horror of war, even in the comfort of home. Later today, at Fort Lewis, one community will gather to remember so many in one Stryker Brigade who have fallen in Afghanistan.

Long after they are laid to rest -- when the fighting has finished, and our nation has endured; when today’s servicemen and women are veterans, and their children have grown -- it will be said that this generation believed under the most trying of tests; believed in perseverance -- not just when it was easy, but when it was hard; that they paid the price and bore the burden to secure this nation, and stood up for the values that live in the hearts of all free peoples.

So we say goodbye to those who now belong to eternity. We press ahead in pursuit of the peace that guided their service. May God bless the memory of those that we have lost. And may God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

Facebook groups started to bring the 2012 Republican National Convention to their town

Oreo — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:00:00 GMT

1867 was the last time a Republican National Convention was held in Cincinnati. Rutherford B. Hayes was nominated to be the Republican candidate for President.

Now a Cincinnati resident wants to bring it back. If you're a Facebook member you can view the group here.

Bring The 2012 Republican National Convention To Cincinnati

The 2012 Republican National Convention needs to be in a city that can handle the size and magnitude. That city is Cincinnati. We have U.S. Bank Arena or the Duke Energy Center where the regular convention could be held, then we have either Paul Brown Stadium or Great American Ballpark where the nominee could give their acceptance speech. Also, Ohio is a must-win for the GOP in 2012 and there is no better place to start than Cincinnati.

The Democratic National Convention was hosted by Cincinnati in 1856 and 1880.

Cleveland hosted the convention in both 1924 and 1936.

Bring the 2012 Republican National Convention (RNC) to Cleveland
This group is to be used as a support base for members to begin campaigning to bring the Republican National Convention to Cleveland, Ohio. Our immediate goal is for 2012 but will continue to work for 2016 and beyond.

Cleveland was a finalist for the 2008 Republican National Convention but lost out to St. Paul. Ohio is always a key state in every presidential election. It would be a great boost to the economy in Ohio as well as increase support for Republicans in all of Ohio if the Republican National Convention comes here. It would also bring much needed boost to Cleveland's image and put us back on the map.

San Diego has a Facebook group called San Diego for the 2012 Republican National Convention

San Diego, CA is a typically democrat area. The state of CA as a whole typically votes democrat.

By holding the Republican National Convention in San Diego, the GOP may be able to capture more supporters in CA than normal.

Please join the group and invite all of your friends. We can make San Diego,CA the location of the next Republican Nation Convention.

It must be noted that San Diego County, up until last year, has been primarily Republican for more than two decades. Hardly a "typically democrat area".

The final and largest group is from Atlanta.With 599 members it is without a doubt the most active of the groups.

Atlanta for the 2012 Republican National Convention

This is a group for supporters to bring the 2012 national GOP convention to Atlanta.

There is one interesting note that could make winning the convention a little more difficult for both Ohio and Georgia. As we wrote in July, the RNC does not allow a city to be selected if a member of the selection committee is from that state. As Matt noted, if one of the cities looks to be favored, the committee member would more than likely resign.

Tomorrow we'll take a look at the Democratic Facebook groups asking for the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

New Media, Old Media, and Stories You May Not Have Heard

DocJess — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Quick trivia question: which daily US newspaper has been in business longer than any other? Clue: it was started by Alexander Hamilton in 1801. Give up? The New York Post. It's been owned on and off since 1976 by its current owner, Rupert Murdoch, and it's bleeding circulation. It lost $70 million last year.

Next question: what is the newest paper in America. Albeit web-based, last Thursday, The Texas Tribune launched in Austin. They didn't cover the horror of Fort Hood, which occurred the same day. They stick to Texas government. Their Friday stories included a state rep who switched parties (from D to R), and the 50 highest-paid state employees. Today, they have a great piece on why Johnny can't read, if he goes to school in Texas.

The Tribune didn't come cheap: to launch the 12 person newsroom cost $3.7 million dollars. Their highest paid employee, by the way, will pull down $315,000 for his first year (15% deferred). It is NOT a profit-making venture, separating it from most of the rest of media.

So why did people invest? It had to do with the need for more transparency in Texas government, plus this:

The theory is that a group of well-compensated editors and writers [...] will create valuable reporting shared by citizens and other news media outlets, a kind of digital version of public radio. [...]
“People have suggested that journalism is too important to be left to nonprofits, but I think it is too important to be left to market forces,” [said Evan Smith, Tribune editor].

If it is able to get traction, the Tribune will be a great model for other sites which do actual investigative journalism. If it works, maybe this will get traction.

Republicans holding "Interested Bid Cities" meeting today in Washington

Oreo — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:44:23 GMT

The Republican National Committee will be holding a meeting today for the 30 cities it invited to bid on the 2012 Republican National Convention.

So far we know officially of one city that will attend. Tampa Bay is sending a delegation to DC according to a story in the Tampa Tribune.

In September we wrote that the Republicans already have their site selection committee a full 6 months earlier than last cycle.

We have a call in to the RNC and hope to get you more information on the meeting including the cities that were invited.

The Newest Political Party

DocJess — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:35:48 GMT

DCW covered the Democratic National Convention last year. We had press credentials, and Oreo did a great on-site job. We also were delighted to have delegates reporting from there, too. We're planning on covering both the DNC and RNC 2012 conventions, although it's likely that if the RNC gives us press credentials, we'll look at each other with that look as to who goes. But there might be a third convention, and THAT would be fun to watch. Ultimate Kabuki Theatre.

It's started in Florida: the Teabaggers are a party! They're going to run candidates! Nationally!

A Florida conservative has registered an official "Tea Party" with the office of the Secretary of State, and is promising to run candidates against Republicans and Democrats in state and national races.

Obviously, their next target is Charlie Crist. It will be interesting to see how the actual Republican Party responds. Could the Teabaggers push them to be more centrist? Or drive them further to the right? We'll see how that plays out, and you can bet we'll be ALL OVER IT as it unfolds.

For today, though, I'm thinking c-o-n-v-e-n-t-i-o-n. First, the signs. We know teabaggers can't spell. Will that carry over to the banners the party itself puts up? Will the advertisers come down to their level? (Speeches at the Poopsi Center anyone?)

Who will they get as keynote speakers? Will Spunky abandon the GOP as too moderate and strut herself at Teabag Central? If so, who will pay the thousands on thousands for her clothes?

What will they hand out in their swag bags? Is there a tea company that will want to be the "proud sponsor"? Will they insist on AMERICAN tea? Do we even GROW tea? Actually, there is one tea farm in the US. However, they grow black, green, and herbal teas. Not white tea. Do you think that will be a problem?

And on that issue, is it possible that the 37 African Americans at last year's RNC convention could dwarf the number of African Americans at the teabagger convention?

Will they have mandatory evangelical Christian services every morning?

You get the idea.

If you think this sounds snarky and perhaps written by someone who would be called by Spiro Agnew a member of the "effete core of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals"...well...I actually am waiting to see if they can come up with a leader with an advanced degree (say, a Nobel Prize winning economist).

For now, I'm just impressed that they picked as their name "tea bag" - something that collapses in water and then goes out with the trash.

What if the Economic Model is Broken?

DocJess — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:08:16 GMT

Sunday was a beautiful day: warm and sunny. A great park day. And so it was that my brother, sister-in-law, nieces and my beloved pup were at the local park. Whenever I mention this park, the next words that fall out of my mouth are "20 million dollar bond issue." I love the park, with its multiple playgrounds (one all-access), putting green, min hatch shell, playing fields, dog field, walking trails and pond. It's lovely. It's wonderful. They even have free biodegradable doggie poop bags. $20 MILLION DOLLARS.

My brother, the economist, and I talked economics. We talked about how when the park was envisaged, the township was flush. Now, we're running at a deficit because our sole sources of income are the direct property tax and the (property) transfer tax. Both of which have not collapsed, but are running well behind where they were two years ago.

My brother the economist believes in economic models. He's with the majority here: the Dow goes up, the S&P goes up, business conditions are improving and therefore we are coming out of recession and things are looking up. I've been yelling that that model is wrong for close to 30 years.

The importance of whether or not the standard economic model is correct has huge political implications for the Obama administration, as well as for both the Democrats and the Republicans. The stimulus program enacted in February was based on the logic of the CW economic model. The Republicans, in wanting lower taxes as the sole driving force for an improved overall economy, also depend on it. The two sides have competing interpretations of the model. If the model is correct, either approach will work to turn the economy: maybe at different speeds, but either would have a positive impact.

But if the model is wrong, then neither approach will work, and will have huge implications for politics and elections going forward. When the assumptions of an economic model are vastly incorrect, the economy changes radically.

The most recent example of a wrong economic model and its aftermath is the Japanese lost generation: in some ways, that engine has never recovered. In the 1930's in the US, it was necessary to turn the model on its head to get people back to work, strongly regulate banks and other businesses, and get the people fed and working.

The emphasis of the current model says, in a nutshell, that if business is strong, the economy is strong. But a number of contrarian, left-wing economists say that's not true this time. The contention is that the only useful change is a true jobs program. The stimulus program is not a true jobs program: it instead accorded funding to the states to hand out to companies they picked to do work, as well as some direct funding for government-service jobs (police, teachers) and direct aid (tax credits for home energy improvements, cash for clunkers, increased dollars for the unemployed.)

More after the jump.

The flaw in the logic of the standard economic model is that 70% of the economy is consumer driven. The models don't look at consumption as much as they look at production. So, for example, when GM builds a car and ships it out to a dealer, it books the profit as the truck leaves with its delivery, NOT when the car is sold. Eventually, for the model to hold, people have to buy the things produced, and purchase the services offered, or business will make another major contraction.

Unemployment is the highest it has been in at least a generation. Even for people with jobs, the median number of work hours has decreased, and statistically, pay increases have been negligible. Manufacturing jobs have been going overseas for years, and now, it looks like 40 million high skill jobs might be going with them.

Princeton economist Alan Blinder predicts that these choice jobs could be lost in a mere decade or two. We speak of computer programming, bookkeeping, graphic design and other careers once thought firmly planted in American soil. For perspective, 40 million is more than twice the total number of people now employed in manufacturing.
Blinder was taken aback when, sitting in at the business summit in Davos, Switzerland, he heard U.S. executives talk enthusiastically about all the professional jobs they could outsource to lower-wage countries. And he's a free trader.

About the only jobs we KNOW have to stay here are those that require direct human contact: serving food in restaurants, for example. You can outsource the crops and processing, but you can't successfully throw a bowl of soup from India and have it land on a table in Peoria. Also garbage collection, surgery (although not all other forms of health care), and direct services like on-site plumbing and electrical. You can even construct all the parts of a house in another country and then simply do the assembly on-site.

What happens if the Obama administration can't find a way to get unemployment back down to 7% or below, even if they can't get to the standard 5% full employment level?

My fear is that we end up with Mike Huckabee, or some other populist evangelical, as president. I look at the 2012 field and scoff at the chances of Spunky, Tim Pawlenty, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and most of the others. But take someone who goes on the trail if unemployment is still in double digits, with the U6 having cracked 20%, and he talks jobs, and nothing but jobs. The side dish would be increased payments to those who are then structurally unemployed. Doesn't matter that it wouldn't be true, it could SELL. I'm not talking about someone who speaks to business, like a Mitt Romney - I'm talking about someone like Mike, who will speak to regular people and say "elect me, and I'll make sure YOU have a job AGAIN within 90 days of taking office."

I believe the solution is for the White House to use the remainder of the stimulus program as a direct jobs program, similar to the alphabet soup of the 1930's, with an overlay of the 1970's CETA program. Don't give the money to the states, directly employ people. That CETA money, if you're unfamiliar, would go to businesses as a direct support to hire someone. For example, you hire someone and the government pays 30% of the person's salary provided you keep them on the payroll for two years, and teach them the skills necessary to accomplish the job. The business gets half the money as a monthly stipend, and the remainder as a check at the end of 2 years. For direct government employment, set up a Jobs Corps and pay 100% of the salaries of people to undertake specific tasks. I'm thinking along the lines of demolishing abandoned housing in urban areas and building new ones. Direct road work for those NOT YET road-ready projects. Therefore that road work would include work not only for construction, but also design, as well as production of materials and tools to fix said roads. I'd look at a true energy program: government workers who would be paid to install residential solar panels, for example. The homeowners pay for the panels, but the government covers the cost of installation, thus decreasing the cost still further from the savings current tax cuts allow.

I'd also consider a service program. The idea that young people getting out of high school could receive, free of charge, training in the trades with the understanding that they'd have to work for the government for the following four years. This would bring us new carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and other workers whose jobs could not be outsourced.

I would also do away with all H-1B visas. They allow foreigners in AT LOWER WAGES than are paid to Americans for high skill jobs.

Finally, I'd put a huge tax penalty on those companies which outsource IT jobs, call centers, manufacturing facilities, and everything else that costs us jobs.

Protectionist? Sure.

But if we don't find a way to get people back to work, goods and services don't get bought. The DOW can hit 15,000 or 20,000 and it doesn't get the unemployed, the underemployed, and people in fear of losing their jobs back to shops and restaurants. The jobs issue is the ultimate schism between doing for Wall Street and doing for Main Street.

Healthcare and the Stupak Amendment

Tim Dineen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:19:39 GMT

I just received this from a friend of mine and thought I'd pass it on...

The Stupak Amendment that passed as part of insurance "reform" last night is a total slap in the face to American women.

Stupak is a pro-life wingnutter from Michigan who happens to have a D next to his name (thanks, Rahm Emmanuel). He and the small pro-life Democratic caucus threatened to vote against the entire bill if their little amendment wasn't included. This would have left Pelosi short of the 218 she needed so she caved and cobbled up enough votes in her caucus to allow it to pass.

On the face of it, Stupak just extends the Hyde amendment into the bill, or so he and his friends claimed last night. It actually goes far beyond the Hyde amendment, which states that public funds can't be spent on abortion. The underlying bill already did this. Stupak went further and now the legislation states that if a woman buys her MANDATED insurance through either the public option or the insurance exchange - EVEN IF SHE DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR A SUBSIDY, AND PAYS THE ENTIRE PREMIUM OUT OF POCKET - that plan cannot include abortion coverage, because public funds were spent setting up the public option and the exchange.

So, self-employed women either pay a fortune for a plan outside of the exchange or the public option or she's denied payment for a LEGAL MEDICAL PROCEDURE. And her plan will cost her thousands of dollars a year more if she purchases her plan outside. It's just meant to make it harder and less affordable for women to have a LEGAL abortion.

And this anti-woman piece of s**t came from Democrats! So, gay people aren't the only ones being thrown under the bus. Half the country was just told they need Big Daddy to tell them what reproductive rights they can have.

Rell not running for reelection in CT

Matt — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:28:26 GMT

This was unexpected:

Governor Jodi Rell has just announced that she is not running for re-election.

Can you say Governor Lamont?

From Friday:

"I think that (Lamont's) candidacy will further fragment the Democratic Party," said Gary Rose, chairman of Sacred Heart University's department of government and politics. "And that could actually influence the governor and sway her to maybe pursue re-election."

Well, Professor Rose got that one wrong...

Update: Maybe not such a surprise. Her fundraising numbers had been pretty poor.

DNC invites cities to bid for 2012 Democratic National Convention

Oreo — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:13:10 GMT

In 2005 Matt started this site to cover the 2008 Democratic National Convention. His first post was on November 7, 2005 which was almost three years before the gavel dropped in Denver.

Now, in 2009 we're almost a full three years from the Democratic and Republican National Conventions for the 2012 elections. This time we plan on covering the DNC and the RNC due to its added importance.

An article in the Tampa Tribune on Saturday marked the first official announcement of an invitation to bid on the Democratic National Convention.

Tampa Bay & Co., Hillsborough County's visitors industry marketing group, has received a letter from the Democratic National Committee and will begin to study the prospects of applying to host the event, Tampa Bay & Co. executive vice president Steve Hayes said this afternoon.

In December of 2005 we listed the 35 cities that were invited to bid.

Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Miami-Dade County, FL, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, OR., St Louis, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC.

You'll notice that Tampa Bay was not one of the cities invited to bid last time. While Denver may be invited to bid again,it will not host the convention.

The list of 2004 cities was very similar to 2008's. Baltimore is the only exception (St. Paul and Minneapolis were combined).

Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City (MO), Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland (OR), San Antonio, San Diego, St. Louis, St. Paul, San Francisco, Sacramento, Seattle, Salt Lake City and Washington, DC

So that leads us to what cities will be invited to bid for the 2012 Democratic National Convention. More than likely the list will be the same. Unlike last time, the list of cities will come out before the date of the convention is announced.

The requirements for consideration for the 2008 Democratic National Convention requires a "seating capacity in basketball game configuration for at least 25,000 participants." We expect the requirement to be the same this time around. The Pepsi Center can hold just over 19,000 people in a basketball configuration. This alone tells you that the requirements aren't set in stone.

Another requirement in 2008 was "A cross-section of full-service hotels with a commitment of at least 17,000 rooms and 1,000 suites within 30 minutes travel time of the Convention Complex during peak traffic hours." and "A sufficient number of larger full-service hotels with at least 700 rooms and 100 suites, in close proximity to the Convention Complex."This requirement is where a lot of smaller cities will lose out on being picked for the convention.

Stay tuned - we are the best source for 2012 convention news for both parties.

The Kucinich Vote

DocJess — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:28 GMT

Dennis Kucinich voted against the health care bill on principle. His full reasoning is after the jump.

I cannot fault his reasoning, and agree in principle with everything he says. Whether his action was a good idea or a bad idea is a completely separate issue.

The Single Payer advocates believe he made the right choice. That standing on principle was more important than passing reform with a Public Option. Others say it doesn't matter because the bill passed with a two vote margin, and therefore his vote wasn't needed. Still others feel that he abandoned the chance for health reform by not giving in to an intermediate option.

What do you think?

Online Surveys & Market Research

My concern is that this was Round 1, there is still going to be a second vote in the House on the conference committee bill. At that point, his single vote might well be the difference between passage and failure. There are other Single Payer advocates in the House (Weiner, Dingell, Conyers, to name a few). What if they, also, take a stand and derail any reform? If the biggest issue of the day faces threats from both the right and left ends of the Democratic Party, what does that mean?

In the comments from the list of who voted against, Ben Spector wrote this:

I don't support the idea of witch-hunts, purity tests, and threatening Congressmen and Senators who don't vote for the bills I would vote for. I honor the wide range of views in the Democratic Party, and believe that an honest internal debate of our views keeps our party alive and prosperous.
I believe its a great idea to write all these congressmen and VEHEMENTLY explain why we disagree with their views, but to threaten them, to run candidates against them, is to follow the Republican play-book and marginalize the party.

It's another consideration of how big the Democratic tent really is, could be, or should be.

Please use the comments to explain what you think about this issue of "party purity".

Congressman Kucinich addresses vote on H.R. 3962
(November 7, 2009)

Congressman Dennis Kucinich after voting against H.R. 3962 addresses why he voted NO, stating:

"We have been led to believe that we must make our health care choices only within the current structure of a predatory, for-profit insurance system which makes money not providing health care. We cannot fault the insurance companies for being what they are. But we can fault legislation in which the government incentivizes the perpetuation, indeed the strengthening, of the for-profit health insurance industry, the very source of the problem. When health insurance companies deny care or raise premiums, co-pays and deductibles they are simply trying to make a profit. That is our system."

"Clearly, the insurance companies are the problem, not the solution. They are driving up the cost of health care. Because their massive bureaucracy avoids paying bills so effectively, they force hospitals and doctors to hire their own bureaucracy to fight the insurance companies to avoid getting stuck with an unfair share of the bills. The result is that since 1970, the number of physicians has increased by less than 200% while the number of administrators has increased by 3000%. It is no wonder that 31 cents of every health care dollar goes to administrative costs, not toward providing care. Even those with insurance are at risk. The single biggest cause of bankruptcies in the U.S. is health insurance policies that do not cover you when you get sick."

"But instead of working toward the elimination of for-profit insurance, H.R. 3962 would put the government in the role of accelerating the privatization of health care. In H.R. 3962, the government is requiring at least 21 million Americans to buy private health insurance from the very industry that causes costs to be so high, which will result in at least $70 billion in new annual revenue, much of which is coming from taxpayers. This inevitably will lead to even more costs, more subsidies, and higher profits for insurance companies - a bailout under a blue cross."

"By incurring only a new requirement to cover pre-existing conditions, a weakened public option, and a few other important but limited concessions, the health insurance companies are getting quite a deal. The Center for American Progress' blog, Think Progress, states, 'since the President signaled that he is backing away from the public option, health insurance stocks have been on the rise.' Similarly, healthcare stocks rallied when Senator Max Baucus introduced a bill without a public option. Bloomberg reports that Curtis Lane, a prominent health industry investor, predicted a few weeks ago that 'money will start flowing in again' to health insurance stocks after passage of the legislation. Investors.com last month reported that pharmacy benefit managers share prices are hitting all-time highs, with the only industry worry that the Administration would reverse its decision not to negotiate Medicare Part D drug prices, leaving in place a Bush Administration policy."

"During the debate, when the interests of insurance companies would have been effectively challenged, that challenge was turned back. The 'robust public option' which would have offered a modicum of competition to a monopolistic industry was whittled down from an initial potential enrollment of 129 million Americans to 6 million. An amendment which would have protected the rights of states to pursue single-payer health care was stripped from the bill at the request of the Administration. Looking ahead, we cringe at the prospect of even greater favors for insurance companies."

"Recent rises in unemployment indicate a widening separation between the finance economy and the real economy. The finance economy considers the health of Wall Street, rising corporate profits, and banks' hoarding of cash, much of it from taxpayers, as sign of an economic recovery. However in the real economy - in which most Americans live - the recession is not over. Rising unemployment, business failures, bankruptcies and foreclosures are still hammering Main Street."

"This health care bill continues the redistribution of wealth to Wall Street at the expense of America's manufacturing and service economies which suffer from costs other countries do not have to bear, especially the cost of health care. America continues to stand out among all industrialized nations for its privatized health care system. As a result, we are less competitive in steel, automotive, aerospace and shipping while other countries subsidize their exports in these areas through socializing the cost of health care."

"Notwithstanding the fate of H.R. 3962, America will someday come to recognize the broad social and economic benefits of a not-for-profit, single-payer health care system, which is good for the American people and good for America's businesses, with of course the notable exceptions being insurance and pharmaceuticals."

Happy 20th Anniversay: Fall of the Berlin Wall

DocJess — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:08:18 GMT

25 years ago, NO ONE thought the Berlin would ever fall. That Mother Russia would fall from world domination. That the ultimate change from that action would be the European Union, as opposed to the strict "East" and "West" parts of the continent.

There have been events leading up to this day, but today there will be ceremonies and concerts, and many remembrances from those who stormed the wall, and others who crossed through the opening from east to west. 20 years ago tonight, this is what happened. (Click the link for multiple videos worth watching.)

Richard Blystone, a CNN senior correspondent at the time, remembers above all the two sides of the crumbling Berlin wall. How different they were.
How the two sides of the one giant wall slicing Germany in two told the whole story somehow.
"On the West side, there was all this graffiti and dirty words and names of rock groups and 'down with that' -- all the chaos of a pluralistic society," recalls Blystone, who was in Berlin the night the wall suddenly fell, the symbolic end of the Cold War.
"On the Eastern side, it was clean and white, just so sterile."

The main festivities will begin at 6 this evening (local time) at the Brandenburg Gate, hosted by Angela Merkel, the first German Chancellor to hail from what was once East Germany. Amoung those attending will be French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In addition, from the key players of the time of the fall will be former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, Polish Solidarity leader Lech Walesa and Hans-Dietrich Genscher, the then West German foreign minister. "There in spirit" will likely be Ronald Reagan, who so famously said "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" at the Brandenburg Gate in 1987.

A lot of "modern history" is defined by when you were born. If you are part of the Greatest Generation, you remember WW2, the Cold War, and the construction of the wall in 1961. If you're a boomer, you remember duck and cover, and never knew a unified Germany. If you were born in about 1980 or after, today's festivities will likely seem quaint to you: you have no personal frame of reference.

When I was in school, we had exchange students. That is, 10 or 20 students from a school in a foreign country would stay here for the school year, each with a host family, and attend school with us. When I was in 10th grade, we had a group from Berlin. They were different than us: their clothes were neater, they were more polite, somehow more genteel. They reveled in things we took for granted: a trip to the Statue of Liberty, the Twin Towers, the Empire State Building, the museums. We'd all be outside during lunch or free periods, and we would be talking about setting up a table for petitions for lowering the voting age to 18, or legalizing abortion, or a protest against Vietnam. We would talk about how we Americans took for granted what the German kids considered to be action against the government. They would tell stories about their cousins across in East Germany. People they only knew through letters. Letters that didn't always arrive with all the words intact.

Much change is incremental, but this was a night of people-powered change: two countries rejoined in a matter of hours. I cannot imagine what it must have felt like for the East Germans who walked into West Berlin: to the light, the colours, the noise. Eastern Europe was so poor, so dank, so very devoid of joy and suddenly "let freedom ring" would have had such new meaning for them.

Congratulations on this auspicious anniversary. It gives me hope for the other places in the world figuratively "fenced in" - the people of Burma, Tibet and other still-repressive societies; the women in Muslim countries, the innocents subject still to ethnic cleansing.

The Rascals said it best:

All the world over, so easy to see
People everywhere just wanna be free
I can't understand it, so simple to me
People everywhere just got to be free

Naming Names: Who Defected on the Health Care Vote?

DocJess — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Sunday with the Senators: What About Frank?

DocJess — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:41:06 GMT

This was nowhere on my radar until I received an email (H/T Helen). We're all focused on the health care vote in the Senate, but after that, we need to think about protecting our 59 or so votes (NO - I do NOT count TLB) for issues going forward. One stalwart, INCREDIBLY DELICIOUSLY PROGRESSIVE Democratic vote belongs to Frank Lautenberg. Here is an overview of his voting record. And it's a long record, beginning in 1983, and continuing to today, with a two year hiatus earlier this decade.

Frank Lautenberg is 85, and will turn 86 in January. He's a class II Senator, meaning he's not up for re-election until 2014.

Helen sent me an actuarial chart indicating that SSA says Frank only has a 55% chance of living to serve out his term. I immediately discounted the information because he's healthy for a man his age, I detest ageism, and I come from a family where people regularly live past 100. That's the personal side.

On the political side, Bob Menedez is chair of the DSCC, and he might feel differently. The GOP hasn't won a Senate seat via election since 1972, which means most people in Jersey don't remember ever having a Republican senator representing them.

Think Ted Kennedy, think Tim Johnson. Men who, in the face of serious incapacitation, held their Senate positions. The Senate has no minimum attendance rule. Once elected, you can serve out your term so long as you are alive. We all miss Uncle Teddy, and Johnson is back at work, having been re-elected as the Senior Senator from South Dakota.

Think also of Robert Byrd. The image burned in my mind of him is not the tapes of him filibustering back in the 60's, but rather of the frail man in a wheelchair, sitting for hours in the sun, awaiting Vicki Kennedy's limo and the buses. Waving his flag. I have an unshakable belief that through sheer force of will, Senator Byrd will stay in the Senate until he can vote for health reform. I am unconvinced that it is "his issue" or even that he has strong feelings on the issue: I believe he will vote yes, if for no other reason than to channel Ted Kennedy.

BUT...

The current law in Jersey says that the Governor can appoint to an open Senate seat, and as of January that position is in Republican hands.

Helen's question was: should Lautenberg step down and let Corzine make an appointment before he leaves office?

Interesting...

My opinion is after the jump, what's yours?

Online Surveys & Market Research

First things first, Lautenberg may WANT to retire. He retired from the Senate in 2000, and only returned in the 2002 election when Bob Torricelli was indicted after winning the primary. There was an issue since it was theoretically too late to change the ballots, but the NJ Supreme Court ruled that the indictment gave Doug Forrester (the Republican) an unfair advantage, and the law had not covered a situation like this. SCOTUS declined to hear the GOP challenge.

If he honestly wants to retire, it's a no-brainer.

But if he wants to stay, I personally believe that's his right. He was duly elected and can serve as long as he wants. Your mileage may vary.

CONGRATS! Nancy Pelosi

DocJess — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:12:27 GMT

Huge kudos to Nancy Pelosi and team for pulling off the health care vote last night. As recently as yesterday morning, it looked like they didn't have the votes. But they did, and then some. If he were still alive, Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. would be the proudest man on the face of the earth today.

This didn't happen in a vacuum. Congress is a political animal, and the support of their constituencies certainly affected their votes. So if YOU called, wrote or emailed, pat yourself on the back. Likewise if you signed the many petitions from Fire Dog Lake, Bold Progress, Move On and the rest. Today will be a good day to call and say "thanks" for this historic event.

We've never been so close to overall health reform.

But the work is not done, kids. There is still the Senate, and there is still the conference committee.

It will be a good week to call your Senators and tell them to follow the lead of the House. A good week to put pressure on Harry Reid to ride the crest and whip his caucus to the floor sooner rather than later. And figure out what to do about TLB Lieberman.

This is not negativism in any form: it's the understanding that this was fantastic, historic and awe-inspiring. We just need to get it done twice more so it can land on Obama's desk.

Obama on House health care bill passage

Matt — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:17:13 GMT

Tonight, in an historic vote, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would finally make real the promise of quality, affordable health care for the American people.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act is a piece of legislation that will provide stability and security for Americans who have insurance; quality affordable options for those who don’t; and bring down the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the government while strengthening the financial health of Medicare. And it is legislation that is fully paid for and will reduce our long-term federal deficit.

Thanks to the hard work of the House, we are just two steps away from achieving health insurance reform in America. Now the United States Senate must follow suit and pass its version of the legislation. I am absolutely confident it will, and I look forward to signing comprehensive health insurance reform into law by the end of the year.