Marc Ambinder
Feb 9 2010, 4:47PM
Procedure-Propism
One in a continuing series about Democrats not using Senate procedure in the manner best befitting their majority.
There are two votes today -- cloture on NRLB nominee Craig Becker and Third Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Joseph Greenaway.
If they had held the vote on Becker first, they might used his possible rejection as a way to make a point about Scott Brown -- i.e., he "came to DC and used his first vote to say NO to working families and put the national Republican agenda in front of his own constituents."
But they voted on Greenaway first -- so Brown's first vote is an easy, bipartisan yes,
There are two votes today -- cloture on NRLB nominee Craig Becker and Third Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Joseph Greenaway.
If they had held the vote on Becker first, they might used his possible rejection as a way to make a point about Scott Brown -- i.e., he "came to DC and used his first vote to say NO to working families and put the national Republican agenda in front of his own constituents."
But they voted on Greenaway first -- so Brown's first vote is an easy, bipartisan yes,
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Feb 9 2010, 2:37PM
President Obama, Eternal Optimist, Meets The Press
The press has been murmuring about a lack of presidential press conferences, but today President Obama obliged, taking questions from reporters solo for the first time since July 22.
Obama gave some long answers and generally kept up a good rapport with the press corps in attendance--joking when they moaned at his calling on NBC's Chuck Todd, "What's wrong with Todd?"--fielding questions on health care reform, Anthem Blue Cross's decision to raise premiums, small business hiring, and sanctions on Iran.
And, on the biggest political challenge confronting his administration--the need to get Republican support to pass anything major through Congress--Obama told the press that he he remains eternally optimistic, despite the difficulties his party is facing.
Obama gave some long answers and generally kept up a good rapport with the press corps in attendance--joking when they moaned at his calling on NBC's Chuck Todd, "What's wrong with Todd?"--fielding questions on health care reform, Anthem Blue Cross's decision to raise premiums, small business hiring, and sanctions on Iran.
And, on the biggest political challenge confronting his administration--the need to get Republican support to pass anything major through Congress--Obama told the press that he he remains eternally optimistic, despite the difficulties his party is facing.
Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
Feb 9 2010, 12:53PM
Opposing Michelle Obama's Obesity Push
Michelle Obama is rolling out a campaign to fight childhood obesity today, but she may be wading into complicated political territory, with states' rights advocates and civil libertarians opposed to federal intervention in school lunches and fearful of a "nanny state" in which the government tells kids what to eat. The Atlantic Wire's Heather Horn captures the debate over the first lady's initiative among bloggers on the left and right.
Jobs Bill Could Contain Card Check
At first, this report from the Las Vegas Sun sounds as though conservatives have mostly won the fight against Big Labor to keep the Obama administration from stripping the secret...
Jobs Stalled By Weather, Republicans
Snow and Republicans are conspiring against the nation's unemployed. There's not much anyone can do about the former, with even more forecasted over the next day and a half. And...
Sarah Palin Needs Help
There's something which, if you've ever been in the business of trying to sell consulting services, you've probably grown accustomed to. It's what I call the "consulting paradox". Namely, it's...
The Six Republican Ideas Already In The Health Care Reform Bill
At this point, I don't think it's well understood how many of the GOP's central health-care policy ideas have already been included as compromises in the health-care bill. But one...
TheBusyBrain/Flickr
Feb 9 2010, 12:38PM
Dicks Seeks Votes For Defense Appropriations Chairmanship
When Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) died Monday at the age of 77, he left open his chairmanship of the House Appropriations Committee's Defense Subcommittee, the most influential position in the House for Defense appropriations. Seniority would indicate that Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA) would take over Murtha's old position, and Dicks told a Seattle radio station that he's called fellow committee members to line up votes in his favor when the new subcommittee chairman is decided, Hotline OnCall's Reid Wilson reports, noting that Dicks and Murtha joined the subcommittee on the same day in 1979.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Feb 9 2010, 11:43AM
Obama Wants More Bipartisan Meetings
President Obama convened a meeting with House and Senate leaders of both parties today, he has invited lawmakers of both parties to a health care summit at the White House Feb. 25, and this morning he said he wants such meetings to be a regular thing.
"My hope is this is not going to be a rare situation--we're going to be doing these on a regular basis," Obama said this morning, speaking to reporters at the meeting with bipartisan congressional leaders.
"And I'm very thankful that everybody here has taken the time to come. I'm confident that if we move forward int he spirit of keeping in mind what's best for the American people that we should be able to accomplish a lot," the president said.
"My hope is this is not going to be a rare situation--we're going to be doing these on a regular basis," Obama said this morning, speaking to reporters at the meeting with bipartisan congressional leaders.
"And I'm very thankful that everybody here has taken the time to come. I'm confident that if we move forward int he spirit of keeping in mind what's best for the American people that we should be able to accomplish a lot," the president said.
TigerHawkBlog/Flickr
Feb 9 2010, 11:19AM
Obama Pushing For Deficit Commission
Republican and Democratic senators alike have rejected the idea of a bipartisan deficit commission (even though some of them formerly supported it), but President Obama says he will push for consensus on the idea. "Another area where I hope we can find some agreement is on the issue of getting our deficits and debt under control. Both parties have stated their concerns about it...I have put forward the idea of a fiscal commission, and I'm going to be discussing [it] with both my Democratic and Republican colleagues," Obama said this morning, speaking to reporters at a meeting with congressional leaders of both parties. "I think the American people want to see that concrete action."
Flickr user cliff1066
Feb 9 2010, 10:29AM
How And Why The Senate Won't Change
Talk has percolated over the past few weeks of reforming Senate rules--finding some way to get around the 60-vote cloture requirement, and possibly to do away with "holds"--as Democrats have publicly lamented their inability to accomplish the big items on their agenda (thanks largely to the campaign they lost in Massachusetts).
There are a few ideas for how to change Senate procedure--one being Sen. Tom Harkin's (D-IA) proposal to set expiration dates for filibusters, with the 60-vote threshold diminishing eventually to 51 as the days go by--but it's not too likely that any serious reforms will happen. But the options and unlikelihoods abound, and Slate's Christopher Beam runs through all the ways Democrats could--but won't--be able to change the rules of the Senate. Two fundamental problems seem to exist: changing Senate rules takes 67 votes (if you can't get 60, how do you get 67?), and senators actually like their power to obstruct, even if they're in the majority for now.
There are a few ideas for how to change Senate procedure--one being Sen. Tom Harkin's (D-IA) proposal to set expiration dates for filibusters, with the 60-vote threshold diminishing eventually to 51 as the days go by--but it's not too likely that any serious reforms will happen. But the options and unlikelihoods abound, and Slate's Christopher Beam runs through all the ways Democrats could--but won't--be able to change the rules of the Senate. Two fundamental problems seem to exist: changing Senate rules takes 67 votes (if you can't get 60, how do you get 67?), and senators actually like their power to obstruct, even if they're in the majority for now.
Flickr user Stefan
Feb 9 2010, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: Who Will Look Better At The Health Care Summit?
Who will come out of President Obama's health care summit looking better--the president and congressional Democrats, or Republicans?
Pete Souza/White House/Flickr
Feb 8 2010, 10:21PM
Condescending Liberals
"[I]n the end the bedrock common sense of the American people will prevail," wrote conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer Friday in the Washington Post. He was crowing over Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts and the apparent about-face by Americans generally about President Obama's health care reform. He mocked liberals for believing that "the people are stupid" and accused liberals of having "disdain for the intelligence and emotional maturity of the people."
On Sunday in the Post, political scientist Gerard Alexander asked, "Why are liberals so condescending?" He said they "insist that their side has all the answers and that their adversaries are idiots," and "the benighted public is either uncomprehending or deliberately misinformed."
As if to supply them with an example, Slate's Jacob Weisberg, wrote over the weekend that the "biggest culprit in our current predicament [is] the childishness, ignorance, and growing incoherence of the public at large." So who wins this argument? Krauthammer and Weisberg are both old friends and former colleagues of mine (at The New Republic) so I can be completely objective. (Joke.) I give it to Weisberg. Where is the evidence that liberals are more condescending than conservatives?
On Sunday in the Post, political scientist Gerard Alexander asked, "Why are liberals so condescending?" He said they "insist that their side has all the answers and that their adversaries are idiots," and "the benighted public is either uncomprehending or deliberately misinformed."
As if to supply them with an example, Slate's Jacob Weisberg, wrote over the weekend that the "biggest culprit in our current predicament [is] the childishness, ignorance, and growing incoherence of the public at large." So who wins this argument? Krauthammer and Weisberg are both old friends and former colleagues of mine (at The New Republic) so I can be completely objective. (Joke.) I give it to Weisberg. Where is the evidence that liberals are more condescending than conservatives?
Wikimedia Commons
Feb 8 2010, 8:35PM
Obama's Nuclear Strategy Evolving
Per a scheduling notice: "On Wednesday, February 10, the Vice President will deliver a speech on the future of the United States' nuclear deterrent capabilities and lay out the plan for implementing the President's nonproliferation and nuclear security agenda. In addition, he will outline how the Administration's budget request and other efforts will support the President's vision of reducing the nuclear dangers facing our country as we pursue the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons."
This speech may or may not take place because of the weather, but if it does, I hear it is going to be newsy.
This speech may or may not take place because of the weather, but if it does, I hear it is going to be newsy.
