The Pundits Come Out in Force

picture-127.thumbnail.pngMuch of the news media has, I think, treated Ted Kennedy’s passing with the appropriate respect.

But a significant swath of pundits have leapt–without pause–into issuing projections about how Ted Kennedy’s death will affect the health care debate. They are not, mind you, calling attention to how his passing changes the parliamentary landscape for the health care bill: noting that Dems will no longer have a filibuster-proof majority until such time as Massachusetts sends another Democrat to the Senate in the next five months or so, noting that one or two potentially appropriate replacements for Kennedy–like Ed Markey–would open up holes in key Committees in the House. They aren’t so much noting the things that could change the debate: Obama adopting a different stance towards the HELP bill, for example, or naming the bill after Kennedy (which Senator Byrd has already called to do).

Rather, they are suggesting they know whether Kennedy’s passing will make health care more or less likely; or make a bill with a public option more or less likely.

That pisses me off for a number of reasons.

First, such reflexive punditry–the urge to claim omniscience about politics–arises out of the 24-hour cable world, a need to fill time. Yet to so quickly jump to making pronouncements about whether Ted Kennedy’s death is a "win" for progressive Democrats or conservative Democrats, Republicans, and their corporate backers (which is really what this is about) suggests the cable news channels have exhausted all the things they have to say about Kennedy, the man. Now, Teddy Kennedy’s record of achievement in the Senate is a half-century testimony of all that progressives have brought to this country. And if the cable news can spend a week paying tribute to Michael Jackson’s half-century career in music, then they sure as hell can spend at least one day paying tribute to Ted Kennedy’s half-century leading this nation. To so quickly turn his death into one event in a horse race dishonors the man and slights his great achievements.

But I’m perhaps most pissed about this urge to claim to know what will happen now because of the way I look on death. Today is a day to pay tribute to Ted Kennedy, absolutely. But it’s also a day to reflect on what his life means, and to reflect on how–for those of us who honor that legacy–we can keep his dream alive through our own actions.

Read more

Obama’s Remarks on Kennedy

I wanted to say a few words about passing of extraordinary leader, Senator Edward Kennedy. Call Teddy colleague, counselor, friend. We awaited this day with no small amount of dread. Seen courage with which he battled illness. Let him hear from people in every corner of nation and around world how much he meant to all of us. Blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. Outpouring of love and gratitude is a testament to the way he touched so many lives. His ideas stamped on so many laws. Seniors who know new dignity, Children who know new promise. Including myself.

Kennedy name is synonymous with Dem Party. Target of campaign attacks. In Senate no one who engendered more affection from both sides of the aisle. Sense of purpose matched by good cheer. Passionately battle others but still maintain warm friendships across party lines. One of the greatest Senators, one of the most accomplished Americans. Extraordinary good that he did. Defender of a dream. Spoke earlier with Vicki, who was, to the end, such a source of strength. Thoughts with her and the entire Kennedy family.

Dodd and Conrad: The Appearance Of Impropriety

Both Connecticut’s Chris Dodd and North Dakota’s Kent Conrad steadfastly deny any knowledge or fact of preferential treatment in their real estate loans from Countrywide Mortgage, but the fact the story keeps hanging around is disquieting. And apparently it has been doing quite a bit more than hanging around, there have been hearings and testimony. From MSNBC:

Despite their denials, influential Democratic Sens. Kent Conrad and Chris Dodd were told from the start they were getting VIP mortgage discounts from one of the nation’s largest lenders, the official who handled their loans has told Congress in secret testimony.

The next day, Feinberg testified before the Senate Ethics Committee, an indication the panel is actively investigating two of the chamber’s more powerful members

Both senators were VIP borrowers in the program known as "friends" of Angelo. Angelo Mozilo was chief executive of Countrywide, which played a big part in the foreclosure crisis triggered by defaults on subprime loans. The Calabasas, Calif.-based company was bought last July by Bank of America Corp. for about $2.5 billion.

Countrywide VIPs, Feinberg told the committees, received discounts on rates, fees and points. Dodd received a break when Countrywide counted both his Connecticut and Washington homes as primary owner-occupied residences — a fiction, according to Feinberg. Conrad received a type of commercial loan that he was told Countrywide didn’t offer.

Two internal Countrywide documents in Dodd’s case and one in Conrad’s appear to contradict their statements about what they knew about their VIP loans.

First off, let’s be clear, there has been no finding of wrongdoing as to either Dodd or Conrad. Secondly, even if it were to be all true, it does not look like the benefits were particularly valuable monetarily. Still, it is tiring seeing the constant privileged status our elected officials in Washington claim for themselves.

These are two critical Senators for the Democratic majority, and here we are in the biggest legislative struggle perhaps in decades over healthcare reform talking about their ethical propriety. It is not helpful. I don’t care if the two Senators’ gain was penny ante in the long run, it is the fact they were brazen enough to think it okay to take a little cut. Because as members of Read more

College Dems Eat Scrapple

I have a feeling this will end badly.

Today the College Democrats of America (CDA) announced the schedule for the 2009 CDA National Convention to be held at The George Washington University in Washington, DC from Thursday, July 23- Sunday, July 26.

Over 300 CDA members from colleges and universities across the country will attend this year’s convention. Students will participate in trainings, community service events, and will hear from elected officials and top Democratic activists.

"College Democrats have had an amazing few years. The youth vote has surged in recent elections and we don’t plan on slowing down," said Katie Naranjo, President of College Democrats of America. "At this year’s convention we’ll strategize on how to build on the last few years’ electoral successes and work to organize in support of President Obama’s agenda for change. Getting President Obama and Democrats elected to Congress was just the start, now we have to roll up our sleeves and begin the hard work to bring lasting change to Washington."

Speakers at the CDA Convention include DNC Chairman Tim Kaine, DNC Vice Chair and Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter.

Below is a list of events that are open to the press. To attend any of these events, please RSVP to Joanna Roshlom at [email protected]. A valid press credential is required.

Thursday, July 23

Gavel in Convention and Opening Ceremonies

U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA)

DNC Vice Chair, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)
7:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. [my emphasis]

I mean, I get it. Arlen "Used to be Haggis but is now Scrapple" Specter has lost much of his lead against Joe Sestak in a still-hypothetical primary. So to boost Scrapple’s Dem cred–and help him recruit campaign workers–the party has convinced the CDA to give Scrapple a prominent role at today’s events.

Aside from the (lack of wisdom) of big-footing Scrapple in such a prominent way, though, do the powers that be really think Scrapple is the kind of guy who ought to serve as a model for young Dems? A guy whose top legislative moment involved harassing a victim of sexual harassment? A guy who represents, above all, the principle that in politics the only principle is self-promotion? A guy who spent the last eight years veering further and further right, largely endorsing the policies that got Republicans shellacked last year?

That’s the guy the party wants to push onto the future of the Read more

From “Haggis” to “Scrapple”–It’s Still Offal

With Arlen Specter coming over from the other side, I’m gonna try calling him "Scrapple" for a while, instead of "Scottish Haggis." It’s still offal–but it’s our offal now.

Like pretty much every Democrat outside of the incumbency protection racket in DC–particularly those who have long friendships with Haggis Scrapple–I’m utterly skeptical that Scrapple’s switch to the Democratic Party is going to work out all that well for us. He has already promised not to vote for EFCA. He really is unreliable–in the sense that his votes rarely match his stated values. And I’m dubious that those who encouraged this flip really thought through what it means for legislating effectively.

On that point, you really must read Kagro’s two posts on what’s going to happen organizationally:

 There are a million aspects of that worth examining. But here’s one for process nuts. Check out the Senate Judiciary Committee Rules:

IV. BRINGING A MATTER TO A VOTE

The Chairman shall entertain a non-debatable motion to bring a matter before the Committee to a vote. If there is objection to bring the matter to a vote without further debate, a roll call vote of the Committee shall be taken, and debate shall be terminated if the motion to bring the matter to a vote without further debate passes with ten votes in the affirmative, one of which must be cast by the minority.

In other words, Scrapple’s flip just created a ginormous bottleneck right in the middle of the Judiciary Committee, behind which every judge, every new reform of the judicial system, and Obama’s lingering appointments to DOJ may be stuck.

Though Kagro has a short-term solution.

Memo to GOP: Seat Franken or we’ll keep Specter’s committee seats

That’s the bottom line.

Seat Al Franken and give him his committee assignments now, or we’ll block a new organizing resolution that would let you reassign Specter’s previously Republican committee seats to one of your own.

Until a new organizing resolution is adopted, Specter’s committee seats (Appropriations, Judiciary, Veterans’ Affairs, Environment & Public Works, Special Aging) are locked in. He’ll be caucusing and (sometimes, anyway) voting as a Democrat, but will be occupying Republican seats.

Democrats should demand Republican agreement to seat Franken and give him his committee assignments now, or they’ll just block a new organizing resolution until he arrives, and change it as they see fit later on. Read more

Is This Healthcare Reform Or Just Assistance To Health Corps?

I have a busy morning here, but want to draw attention to an article this morning in the New York Times by Robert Pear on the ongoing discussions of healthcare reform for the United States:

Since last fall, many of the leading figures in the nation’s long-running health care debate have been meeting secretly in a Senate hearing room. Now, with the blessing of the Senate’s leading proponent of universal health insurance, Edward M. Kennedy, they appear to be inching toward a consensus that could reshape the debate.

Many of the parties, from big insurance companies to lobbyists for consumers, doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies, are embracing the idea that comprehensive health care legislation should include a requirement that every American carry insurance.

“There seems to be a sense of the room that some form of tax penalty is an effective means to enforce such an obligation, though only on those for whom affordable coverage is available,” said the memorandum, prepared by David C. Bowen, a neurobiologist who is director of the health staff at the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

The proposal for an individual mandate was one of the few policy disagreements between Mr. Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton in their fight for the Democratic presidential nomination. She wanted to require everyone to have and maintain insurance. He said he wanted to “ensure affordable coverage for all,” but would initially apply the mandate only to children.

The 20 people who regularly attend the meetings on Capitol Hill include lobbyists for AARP, Aetna, the A.F.L.-C.I.O., the American Cancer Society, the American Medical Association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, the Business Roundtable, Easter Seals, the National Federation of Independent Business, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, and the United States Chamber Read more

BREAKING: Burris Fesses Up

rolandburris-1thumbnail.thumbnail.jpgChicago tenor Roland Burris is singing a new tune:

U.S. Sen. Roland Burris has acknowledged he sought to raise campaign funds for then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich at the request of the governor’s brother at the same time he was making a pitch to be appointed to the Senate seat previously held by President Barack Obama.

Burris’ latest comments in Peoria Monday night were the first time he has publicly said he was actively trying to raise money for Blagojevich. Previously Burris has left the impression that he always balked at the issue of raising money for the governor because of his interest in the Senate appointment.

In comments to reporters after appearing at a Democratic dinner, the senator several times contradicted his latest under-oath affidavit that he quietly filed with the Illinois House impeachment panel earlier this month. That affidavit was itself an attempt to clean up his live, sworn testimony to the panel Jan. 8, when he omitted his contacts with several Blagojevich insiders.

Now this is something that Marcy (see: here and here) predicted, as did many of you. So, it is not exactly a shocking Captain Renault moment. That said, it is still extremely damning and is going to lead to a justified uproar. Already Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is calling for a deeper investigation, although she has held short of claiming perjury by Burris.

It is just the bundling efforts that Marcy predicted may be in play that appear to be in issue:

Burris said Robert Blagojevich told him, “‘We need to raise some funds. We hope that you could probably get some of your friends together.’ I said, ‘What type of money we looking for?’ He says, ‘Can you raise us 10-or-15 thousand dollars?’

Here are the new details Burris has copped to as of last night:

“So some time shortly after Obama was elected, the brother called,” Burris said last night of Robert Blagojevich. “And now in the meantime, I’d talked to some people about trying to see if we could put a fund-raiser on. Nobody was—they said we aren’t giving money to the governor. And I said, ‘OK, you know, I can’t tell them what to do with their money.’”

“So when the (governor’s) brother called me back, I said, ‘Well, look Rob…I can’t raise any money from my friends. I said, maybe my partner and I, you can talk this over and see, could we go to some Read more

Are Your Members of Congress Supporting an Investigation into Bush Crimes?

As many of you have noted, at least 62% of Americans support some investigation into Bush Administration crimes (whether a criminal investigation or a truth commission). Do your members of Congress agree with the majority of Americans who refuse to ignore the past?

Here’s a list of those members of Congress who have voiced some support for an investigation. If your members of Congress aren’t on here, call them (1-877-851-6437, 1-800-828-0498, or 1-800-614-2803). Ask if they support one of the efforts to investigate the Bush Administration. If they’re not sure, urge them to do so. Please leave a comment so we can track what they say.

Senators

Barbara Boxer
Russ Feingold
Pat Leahy
Carl Levin
Jack Reed
Harry Reid (?)
Sheldon Whitehouse

Congressmen

(Unless otherwise noted, these are co-sponsors of John Conyers’ bill, HR.104, calling for an independent commission.)

Tammy Baldwin
Rick Boucher
Steve Cohen
John Conyers
Elijah Cummings
Peter DeFazio
William Delahunt
Keith Ellison
Bob Filner
Barney Frank
Raul Gijalva
Luis Gutierrez
Maruice Hinchey
Sheila Jackson-Lee
Hank Johnson
Walter Jones
Barbara Lee
Carolyn Maloney
Jerrold Nadler
Ed Pastor
Nancy Pelosi
Linda Sanchez
Jan Schakowsky
Bobby Scott
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
David Wu

Thank You Howard Dean, for Showing Us the Way!

ewpic2.JPGWhen I went to Cedar Rapids to work for Howard Dean in 2004 (when he was still leading in the polls), we moshed him outside of the Jeff-Jack Dinner. But I didn’t ask for a photo.

When I went to an ACLU fund-raiser with Dean later that year, I didn’t ask for a photo.

When I went to a another fund-raiser with him in MI, I didn’t ask for a photo.

When I saw him speak at YearlyKos, I didn’t ask for a photo.

Last night, I got my first photo with Dean (It’s a pity I look so crappy). 

It was at the Netroots Nation ball. I was coming out of the ladies room and someone ran up and said: Howard Dean is at the top of the steps!  Like he was a rock star … which, in this crowd, he is.

For some reason, I wanted a picture this time, with the man who got us to where we are today. I ran up the stairs (and promptly found my friend from MI, whom I met on the Dean campaign). We moved close to get a picture. But one after another person pulled him away to get a picture. A staffer of his started moving him towards the stage. Someone, I’m not sure who, was standing nearby with that staffer’s coat. "Give it to me," I said.

I went up, leaned over to the staffer, said, "I’ve got your coat. But I want to get a picture with Dean so I can put it on the front page of FDL." Dean started to turn around at that point–I don’t think Dean even heard the last bit … "so we can bitch about Rahm." 

In response to the first bit: "I want to get a picture so I can put it on the front page of FDL," Howard Dean said, "Oh, I’ve got time for that."

So, for FDL, this is my picture with the man who did so much to get us where we are today.

Thank you Howard Dean, for showing us the way forward!

The Reid/Durbin Fabrication On Burris

burris1thumbnail.thumbnail.jpgBy now you know how poorly Harry Reid and Dick Durbin have played their aces and eights hand on the Roland Burris appointment to Barack Obama’s former Senate seat. Reid and Durbin went all in with their chips on the Illinois Secretary of State and, predictably, lost their pleated dandy shirts.

Illinois law and the Constitution have always been contra to Reid and Durbin’s intransigence on Burris, but the disingenuous duo have always fallen back on their precious ancient Senate Rule II. They have steadfastly portrayed themselves as honorable protectors of the high ground of ethics, and citizens and the rubes in the media have bought off on it. To wit, Durbin grandly proclaimed late Friday:

…the Senate seat could remain vacant until Blagojevich is removed from office and the lieutenant governor takes over, making a fresh appointment.

He said the Senate cannot waive a 125-year-old rule requiring the signatures of both the governor and the secretary of state on any election or appointment.

Now, it is hard to tell whether these lustrous paragons of virtue are being intentionally dishonest, or are simply tragically ignorant of the questionable foundation of the argument they rely on. But it is one or the other. First off, as Jane pointed out Friday,

the 1884 Senate rule Durbin and Reid rely on was promulgated before the passage of the 17th Amendment as well as before the Supreme Court decision in Powell v McCormack. Reid and Durbin are duplicitous in thinking their antiquated Senate rule trumps the official selection pursuant to the 17th Amendment and Illinois statutory law.

So, there is that. But, guess what? After all this, it turns out the vaunted Senate Rule II isn’t even the bright line mandate they have been stating. In fact, Senate Rule II is simply an antiquated suggestion for a document template. While subparagraph 2 of Rule II mandates that the Secretary of the Senate keep a journal of all certificates signed by the governor and secretary of state of the appointing electing and/or appointing state for each Senator, the operative language on the form of the certificate is, contrary to what Reid and Durbin have been stating, not mandatory in the least. From the official Senate Rules:

3. The Secretary of the Senate shall send copies of the following recommended forms to the governor and secretary of state of each State wherein an election is about to take place or Read more

image_print